PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday accused the Congress of attacking constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Supreme Court whenever it faces electoral setbacks, alleging that the party first questioned EVMs and has now turned its criticism towards the poll panel.
“For a few days, the Congress and opposition parties unnecessarily raise a hue and cry against the Election Commission, staging protests and attempting to level allegations, often citing reports or holding press conferences, against the institution,” Sawant said. He alleged that the Congress had developed a tendency to cast aspersions on constitutional bodies and create confusion among the public. “They have a tendency to present falsehoods as truth. Whenever they realise they cannot win a seat outright, they consistently resort to spreading various lies,” he said.
On the EVM controversy, Sawant pointed to the Congress' electoral victories in states where the same machines were used. “Fundamentally, they labelled EVMs as black boxes, yet they won in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu using those very same black boxes, and that was acceptable to them. However, in places where they lost, they first blamed the EVMs, and from blaming the EVMs, they moved on to directly attacking the Election Commission itself,” he said.
Sawant defended the independence of the ECI and referred to the recent joint press conference by the three Election Commissioners, saying it had clarified allegations surrounding the poll panel and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “The Election Commission operates as an independent body guided by the Constitution. The joint press conference held by all three Election Commissioners served to clearly separate fact from fiction, ensuring the truth reached the public and exposing any falsehoods or misleading narratives,” he said.
Sawant also praised the media for disseminating the ECI's clarification and said the commission had taken decisions collectively. “The three Election Commissioners acted in unison, consistently making decisions together, including the Special Intensive Revision conducted in consultation with relevant stakeholders. They finalised this as a collective decision,” he said.
On questions over deletion and restoration of names from electoral rolls, Sawant said eligible voters could seek re-inclusion through Form 6, subject to verification by election officials. “There is no major issue here; the process simply involves filling out Form 6 again for those whose names were previously deleted. This process allows for their names to be re-included after verification by the BLO and RO,” he said.
He said revisions of electoral rolls were not new and that duplicate entries were removed during such exercises. “This is not a new phenomenon. Summary Revision exercises have occurred frequently in the past. During such revisions, duplicate entries are removed, often because individuals had previously chosen to vote in their home states for various reasons,” Sawant said. The Chief Minister also referred to the controversy surrounding a letter from the Cabinet Secretary, saying the ECI had already provided a clarification. “There is no major issue here,” Sawant said, adding that there was “no rift within the Election Commission”.
He accused the Congress of repeatedly questioning constitutional bodies and national security-related actions, citing its demands for proof of surgical strikes and its earlier allegations against the government. Sawant also invoked Goa's Zilla Panchayat elections, which were conducted using ballot papers, saying the BJP's victory in those elections contradicted the Congress' repeated demand for ballot papers instead of EVMs. Sawant said the Congress had lost public trust by repeatedly raising allegations against institutions. “The Congress party, including its leaders and workers, has developed a habit of making different allegations at every turn. The Election Commission's clarification was a welcome move,” he said.
He also referred to the Congress' Chowkidar Chor campaign and its criticism of the armed forces, arguing that similar allegations had previously been raised against institutions and government actions. “The public will not be misled,” Sawant said, asserting that the country was progressing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Viksit Bharat vision and the principles of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. He maintained that institutions including the Election Commission, Supreme Court and defence forces were functioning independently.
