Cabinet Secretary Acknowledges Election Commissioners' Concerns
A recent RTI response reveals the Cabinet Secretary's acknowledgment of letters from two Election Commissioners regarding administrative issues.
Two Election Commissioners raised concerns about Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg's actions.
The Cabinet Secretariat clarified that the letters were personal and not formal communications from the Election Commission.
Any action taken without official communication could be seen as interference in the commission's independence.
In a significant development, the Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan acknowledged letters from Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, which were sent on July 29, regarding the conduct of Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg. This acknowledgment, which was shared with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, was revealed through a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by Commodore (retired) Lokesh Batra.
The Cabinet Secretariat's response emphasized that while the concerns raised by the ECs should be taken seriously, they were expressed in their individual capacities and did not constitute formal communication from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The absence of an official communication from the commission raises questions about any actions taken in response, which could be interpreted as interference in the commission's operations.
Documentation from the Cabinet Secretariat dated August 3 indicated that the ECs had reported that Mr. Garg had issued orders regarding work allocation without prior discussion with the commission or relevant officers. This action was taken despite previous instructions against such unilateral decisions. The ECs suggested seeking the Chief Election Commissioner's opinion on the matter, leading to the drafting of a communication for approval.
However, the following day, the Cabinet Secretariat reiterated the constitutional independence of the commission, stating that the communications from the ECs, while serious, did not represent the commission's collective stance. The response highlighted the importance of maintaining the commission's autonomy and warned against any actions that might be construed as interference.
On August 5, Secretary Somanathan formally acknowledged the letters from the ECs, with a copy sent to the Chief Election Commissioner's office. It remains unclear whether Gyanesh Kumar responded to this acknowledgment or took any further action regarding the issues raised by the Election Commissioners.
