Activists criticise Belagavi admn. for not allowing them to meet foreign delegates

Belagavi activists criticize district administration for denying meeting with foreign election delegates, citing Election Commission failures.

Members of Eddelu Karnataka, an umbrella organisation of social and political activists, have criticised the Belagavi district administration for its refusal to permit them to meet members of a foreign delegation that is visiting the country to witness, study first-hand the ongoing general elections.

A delegation of activists met Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil with a request to permit them to meet election representatives from five foreign countries who were in Belagavi on Monday and Tuesday.

However, Mr. Patil refused to permit them, saying he did not have any authority to issue such permits.

“We told him that we have valid reasons to raise objections to the election process being followed by the Election Commission of India and that we want to bring this to the notice of the foreign delegates. But he did not listen. He said that we are free to complain to the Election Commission of India or to approach the Supreme Court, if there are any issues,” they said.

“Then we decided to present a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner with a request to pass it on to the foreign delegates,” farmers leader and Eddelu Karnataka member Sidagouda Modagi told reporters here on Tuesday.

The memorandum says that the Election Common of India has failed to conduct free and fair elections due to its dereliction of duty.

The process of appointing the Chief Election Commissioner is biased, thereby affecting the Election Commission’s autonomy. The Model Code of Conduct is being selectively implemented and complaints against the ruling party are not taken seriously and grievances about EVMs are not addressed, the memorandum says.