Assam CM says the poll panel functions as a collective body and decisions must be based on consensus or majority opinion
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday defended Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid criticism of the Election Commission, asserting that the CEC cannot take decisions unilaterally.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, the Chief Minister said the Election Commission functions as a collective body and that its decisions must be based on consensus or a majority view.
“In my humble view, the Election Commission cannot take any decision when the Chief Election Commissioner or any other Election Commissioner is in the minority,” he said. “Every decision of the Election Commission has to be passed or taken by a majority because it is a collective body.”
The Chief Minister said differences among commissioners during internal discussions were a separate matter, but the final decision had to reflect the collective position of the three-member panel.
The Chief Minister also accused the Opposition of targeting Kumar as part of a political campaign, saying such criticism reflected its “frustration” and using the phrase “Dimagi Naxals” for the critics.
The ECI’s current directory lists Gyanesh Kumar as CEC, with Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as the two Election Commissioners.
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