People have trusted poll results, still EC gives ‘agnipariksha’ after every election: CEC Kumar

PTI, Mar 12, 2023, 7:20 PM IST

Bengaluru: India has stabilised its social, political and linguistic issues peacefully in 70 years through dialogue mainly because of established democracy which was possible as people trust election results but still the Election Commission has to undergo ‘Agnipariskha’ after every poll, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said here.

He made these remarks at a press conference on Saturday while responding to a question on whether the people of Karnataka can trust the poll panel for free and fair elections in the state.

He said with the conclusion of polls in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, the Election Commission has completed the 400th state assembly election. There have been 17 Lok Sabha polls and 16 presidential and vice presidential elections, he noted.

”Results are accepted election after election and the transition of power each time has been smoothly done by ballot. This is in stark comparison to what has been recently happening even in many developed countries,” he said.

”In the last 70 years, India has stabilised its social, cultural, political, geographical, economic, linguistic issues peacefully and through dialogue mainly because of established democracy which is possible only because people trust election results. Still, ECI gives ‘Agnipariskha’ (trial by fire) every time after each election,” he said.

Replying to another question, Kumar said fake narratives and inducements pose a big challenge.

The poll panel was in Karnataka to assess the poll preparedness.

The term of the state assembly ends on May 24 and a new assembly has to be formed before that by holding polls.