‘There Was No Thought Of Deferring Elections'

In his first interview, chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra said the strong turnout in the assembly polls was a vote of confidence in the EC. He also spoke about difference of opinions with EC Rajiv Kumar to TOI’s Bharti Jain. Excerpts:

It was stated by election com-missioner Rajiv Kumar in the draft affidavit which was not filed in Madras High Court that the EC had considered deferring the recent polls in view of the Covid surge. At what stage was this considered?

At no point of time in the commission was there any thought of deferring the elections. Only a request was received for clubbing the last two phases and at that time, the EC had discussed various consequences of doing so. Considering the logistics of manpower and central forces’ deployment which is decided much in advance, it was not considered necessary to club the last two phases. But at no point of time in the commission was there any thought process regarding deferring of elections (on account of Covid).

Did the EC at least consider deferring the last few phases when Congress requested this in view of Ramzan? Was there such a suggestion from any EC member?

Ramzan, like all festivals and holidays, was considered before planning the elections. Nobody in the EC expressed any view with regard to deferring of polls.

Why was election commissioner Rajiv Kumar’s separate affidavit offering to take personal responsibility if Madras HC did not withdraw its ‘murder’ remark, not filed by EC?