After Opposition alleges ‘match-fixing’ in LS polls, former CECs: ‘I-T, ED actions can disrupt level playing field’

WITH CONGRESS leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “match-fixing” in the Lok Sabha polls by using central law enforcement agencies, at least three former Chief Election Commissioners (CECs) told The Indian Express that the recent actions of the Income Tax (I-T) Department and Enforcement Directorate (ED) against opposition parties and their leaders have the potential to disrupt the level playing field during elections.

The Congress announced on Saturday that it had received fresh notices from the I-T Department for 2014-2015 and 2016-2017, with a tax demand of Rs 1,745 crore. This followed notices the party had already received for 1994-1995 and 2017-2018, bringing the total demand to Rs 3,567 crore. The I-T Department has also withdrawn Rs 135 crore from the Congress’s bank accounts for previous dues.

According to the former heads of the Election Commission (EC), two of whom spoke on condition of anonymity, such actions could be seen as interfering with free and fair elections and should prompt the poll watchdog to at least meet the agencies to ascertain why tax demands and I-T notices cannot wait until after the elections are over.

“I personally feel the EC can certainly put it on hold because it is affecting the level playing field. Within the EC, the principle we always followed was ‘anything that can wait, should wait’ during elections. The question to ask is that is there any irreparable damage in postponing? There is no irreparable damage in this case. It can be done after three months,” former CEC S Y Quraishi told The Indian Express.

Another former CEC, who did not wish to be named, said: “Such situations never arose during our time in the Commission, so it is difficult to cite a