Pillars of democracy being desecrated: Sena on K'taka poll date leak

In a vitriolic attack on the BJP over the alleged leak of Karnataka poll dates, the Shiv Sena today said the pillars of democracy were being "desecrated".

It also accused the Election Commission (EC) of working under pressure from the government, and sought to know if the poll panel had decided to function as per the "suitability of the BJP".

The Sena's remarks come in the wake of the controversy over a tweet by the BJP's IT cell chief announcing the Karnataka Assembly poll date before an official declaration by the EC.

"It was believed that the Election Commission would be impartial, however, it is not so, (this) has been proved in the run up to the Karnataka polls," it said.

"The EC is working under pressure from the government, is what the opposition claims and it has been proven true by the BJP," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Ahead of the official announcement of Karnataka poll dates on Tuesday by Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat, the BJP IT cell chief, Amit Malviya, had tweeted that voting will be held on May 12 and the counting will take place on May 18.

He was correct about the day of the voting, but got the counting date wrong. The counting will take place on May 15.

The Sena said, "Somebody called Amit Malviya from the BJP's IT cell released the election date even before the EC could announce it."
"In such situations, is there any respect left for constitutional posts?" it asked, adding that "the pillars of our democracy are being desecrated."