Election commission of India acting like Dhritarashtra in the Lok Sabha election of 2024: Democracy at risk?

The election commission of India (ECI) has the prime responsibility to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections in the country. The major aim of election commission of India is to define and control the process for elections conducted at various levels, Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice President of India. It can be said that the Election Commission of India ensures smooth and successful operation of the democracy. The ECI team's actions during the Lok Sabha election of 2024 have raised multiple questions. It appears like ECI team is working as a B-team of the ruling party.

Polling was held peacefully in all Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat on May 7th, 2024, but booth capturing took place in Dahod Lok Sabha seat despite peaceful polling. This video has spread like wildfire on social media. Booth capturing was done at Parthampur village in Santrampur taluka of Mahisagar in the Dahod Lok Sabha constituency. The booth was captured by the son of the BJP leader and the entire incident was live streamed on social media.

In Dahod Lok Sabha seat, Vijay Bhabhor, the son of the BJP leader, entered the booth and captured the EVM. Vijay Bhabhor streamed the entire event on his social media platforms. Vijay Bhabhor, along with others, have been accused of falsely voting for the BJP candidate. In the video, he is seen saying that 'EVM belongs to our father'. This kind of incidents are very common in the Bihar election while surprise was no fear of law and order, and if the incidents not available on social media, then any action taken by the police or the ECI team is a big question.

Numerous instances of erroneous voting have been reported throughout Gujarat.  In the Khanderao Market area, a young man has had a similar experience. Akshay Machi, a resident of Bakrawadi, was standing in a queue with ID proof to cast his vote at an intermediate school near the market. An hour later, when he went to the polling booth, the presiding officer said that his voting had already been done in the morning. The youth showed no ink mark in his hand and a different ID proof was displayed there asking him to do the verification in the register book of the polling station. The youth made a request to higher authorities, but they did not receive any response. It has been learned that there have been similar incidents in other places too. The mobile phones are not allowed in the polling station, but everyone (voter, police staff and election staff) used the mobile phone inside the polling station, complete registered by the independent candidate in Vadodara Lok Sabha still no action from the ECI team, biggest question is why the ECI team act like Dhritarashtra?    

The highest number of election cards used by voters in Gujarat for voting was a demonstration of manipulation and/or fake voting. The election cards id details are available with ruling party as voter list available for national party free of cost and writing an election card ID number and voter signature verification never done so it is a very easy step to initiate fake voting. The ECI team required to take thumb impression at the time of voting so fake voting can be controlled and voter id card required to like with Aadhar card while the ECI team is silent from multiple years. The Aadhar card lining with PAN card is mandatory in India as it will increase the government income while liking Aadhar card with election card process never initiated as it will impact the fake voting. Why is the Aadar card not linked to the election card? Why is the date and time not printed on the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)?

Guidelines for all candidates who participate in a Lok Sabha election should be published by the ECI team. Complaints about fake voting, candidate misbehaviour, or other issues impacting the Lok Sabha election can be filed through this process. The ECI team is silent and play passing the parcel game very well as multiple calls/emails to the ECI India time but the ECI India like Dhritarashtra blind and not ready to take any action, question is why? When the percentage of voting increased after 11 days of voting, it also raised a very big question about the role of the ECI team in India. In this circumstance, who will save India's democracy?