Ramesh Points to Dec 2023 Bill and CEC Immunity Row

A day after a BJP-linked mock parliament was held in New Delhi, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has questioned the state of parliamentary democracy and the functioning of the Election Commission.

Ramesh said on X on Friday that the BJP's mock parliament did not surprise him. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of repeatedly mocking parliamentary democracy by pushing bills through, refusing debates on public issues, discrediting parliamentary institutions, and using both Houses for self-praise.

The central point of his criticism was the December 2023 episode. Both Houses passed a bill granting the Chief Election Commissioner what he described as unprecedented lifetime immunity. This happened when 145 opposition MPs were suspended.

Ramesh said that soon after the bill became law, Gyanesh Kumar was appointed Chief Election Commissioner. He argued that this was done so that crores of Indians could be deprived of their constitutional right to vote.

His remarks have come against the backdrop of a political confrontation over the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The opposition has also intensified its questioning of the Election Commission's conduct.

The INDIA bloc has demanded that the Chief Election Commissioner step down. It has organised several programmes to highlight 'vote theft' charges, one of which was a mock parliament session.

The BJP has repeatedly dismissed these charges. It insists that parliamentary proceedings follow the rules and that the Election Commission acts independently. The ruling party has said the opposition is trying to malign constitutional bodies after its electoral setbacks.

The mock parliament organised by Citizens for Democracy took place at the NDMC Convention Centre under the theme 'Democracy vs Anarchy'. It ran alongside the INDIA bloc's events. Young participants from across India played the roles of senior leaders from both the government and the opposition.

Ramesh's statement reflects the wider opposition argument that parliamentary norms have been breached over the last decade and that key legislation has been approved without adequate discussion. Congress believes the Election Commission's appointment process and working have put its independence in jeopardy.