The Election Commission of India said on Tuesday that no party sought a meeting before 4 pm. The panel noted that established rules require parties to book appointments through authorized representatives. Although the commission offered to send a senior officer to collect the memorandum, the group of MPs refused this.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said no political party had formally sought an appointment with the poll panel before 4 pm, after reports emerged that a group of MPs wanted to meet the Commission and submit a memorandum.
In a press note, the ECI said it was informed by the Delhi Police at around 4 pm that a delegation of MPs, led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, wanted to meet the Commission.
The poll panel said its established procedure requires political parties or joint delegations of parties to seek an appointment through their duly authorised representatives. The meeting is then scheduled at a time mutually agreed upon by both sides.
The ECI proposed that its most senior serving officer could be sent to the meeting venue to receive the memorandum from the MPs. This in itself would have been an unprecedented step. However, this proposal was also declined by the MPs.