Narendra Modi interview: ‘Those close to ‘family’ were made ECs,’ PM counters lack of level playing field charge.

Narendra Modi interview: PM dismisses lack of level playing field charge of Opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismissed the Opposition’s charge of lack of a level playing field and countered that in the previous governments, those “close to the family were made Election Commissioners.” In an interview with ANI broadcasted on Monday, PM Modi, when asked about the charge of lack of a ‘level playing field’ and the alleged influence over agencies like the ED, CBI, EC, etc., PM said: “Out of these, not a single law ( ED, CBI filing cases) was brought by my government, on the contrary, Election Commission reforms were brought by my government. Modi accused that those “close to the ‘family’ were made Election Commissioners who later got Rajya Sabha seats and ministries…We (BJP) can’t play at that level.” In March of last year, the Supreme Court, in response to a writ petition, directed that the appointment of chief election commissioners and other ECs be made by the President, based on advice from a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha or leader of the largest opposition party, and the chief justice of India. However, the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023, replaced the chief justice of India with a union minister.“Today, if the Election Commission is formed, then the opposition is also in it. Earlier, the Prime Minister used to sign a file and form the Election Commission. And those who were close to their families, such people became election commissioners.”