RJD joins parties opposing EC's decision of postal voting

RJD has also expressed fear concerning the Election Commission's decision to allow postal voting for those above 65 years of age, saying it would be unfair to the opposition parties and that the EC should have discussed the issue before announcing anything on it.

New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has joined CPI, CPI (M), TMC, Congress and other political in opposing the Election Commission's decision to allow postal voting for those above 65 years of age in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.

The party's leader Manoj Kumar Jha has written to the Election Commission, urging it to take its decision back.

Jha in his letter said that this would help the ruling alliance in the state and should be taken immediately. The party also said that the election Commission should have discussed the matter with all political parties but it did not, and hence the decision should be taken back.

On Monday, the Congress, CPI(M) and the TMC had registered their protest over the matter by writing to CEC Sunil Arora.

CPI General Secretary D Raja argued that the decision made ahead of assembly elections in Bihar will “jeopardise” the democratic process of free and fair elections. He urged him to have a wider and transparent consultation on digital propaganda during election campaigns and postal ballot for those aged 65 or above.

“These two proposals, if accepted, will definitely jeopardise the democratic process of free and fair elections. Our party – CPI - urges upon the ECI not to proceed unilaterally to implement these proposals which are bound to have a disastrous impact on our system,” Raja said.

It was CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury who was the first to flag the issues related to the changes with the Congress then filing a petition with the commission, asking it to reconsider the decision.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) too wrote to the commission stating that the move is “arbitrary, mala fide, unconstitutional and ex-facie, a violation of secrecy of vote, right to free and fair elections and right to health.”