The Election Commission on Sunday issued a notice to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asking him to explain his claims that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called up at least 150 district magistrates and collectors ahead of the Lok Sabha election result.

The counting of votes will take place on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Ramesh accused Shah of “blatant and brazen intimidation”. In a social media post, the Rajya Sabha MP alleged that the Union home minister had been calling up district magistrates and collectors. “Officers should not get under any pressure and must uphold the Constitution,” the Congress leader had said. “They are under watch.”

In its notice to Ramesh on Sunday, the Election Commission said that officers report to the poll panel for directions when the Model Code of Conduct is in force. The code is a set of rules issued by the Commission that all governments, political parties and candidates are mandated to follow during elections.

“However, no DM [district magistrate] has reported any such undue influence as alleged by you [Ramesh],” the poll panel said. “As you are aware, the process of counting votes is a sacred duty cast upon every RO [returning officer] and such public statements by you tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed to larger public interest.”

The notice asked Ramesh to share the details of the 150 district magistrates and collectors that Shah had allegedly contacted. It directed the Congress leader to reply to its notice by Sunday evening.

In response, Ramesh sought a week to file his reply explaining the allegations, reported the Hindustan Times.

On Monday, the Election Commission rejected Ramesh’s request and asked him to file his reply by 7 pm.

“Your allegation… has serious connotation and direct bearing on the sanctity of the counting process, scheduled for tomorrow,” Narendra N Butolia, the senior principal secretary to Election Commission of India, said in his letter to the senior Congress leader. “As mentioned in Commission’s letter dated 02..06.2024, no DM has reported any such undue influence as alleged by you. Therefore, the Commission hereby outrightly rejects your request for time extension.”

Ramesh made the allegations on Saturday amid the seventh and final phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election.

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