Sunil Jakhar Slams AAP and Congress for 'Double Standards' After High-Level CEO Meeting

Political sparks flew in Chandigarh on Wednesday afternoon as former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sunil Jakhar launched a scathing attack against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, accusing both opposition outfits of blatant duplicity over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Emerging from a high-level meeting with Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anindita Mitra, Jakhar addressed reporters outside the poll body's headquarters, alleging that while senior leaders of AAP and Congress are staging noisy street protests in the national capital against the electoral review, their respective state units quietly cooperated and consented in writing to the entire exercise across Punjab's 25,000-plus polling booths.Inside the CEO Meeting: Standard National Protocols Followed Across PunjabJakhar explained that his visit to the Chief Electoral Officer's office aimed to ascertain the factual ground realities of the revision exercise:Seeking Clarification on Regional Procedures: Jakhar questioned whether Punjab had deviated from standard operational procedures during the recently concluded SIR, given the complete absence of local uproar compared to the fierce agitation being stirred in Delhi.CEO Confirms Standard National Protocol: Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra clarified that Punjab strictly followed the uniform, legally mandated review framework applied across all other states, leaving no room for administrative anomalies.Exposing Political Hypocrisy: Calling out the contrast in political behavior, Jakhar remarked that it was baffling to watch prominent Punjab opposition leaders travel to Jantar Mantar and other protest venues in Delhi to incite public mistrust against the Election Commission when their own state party machinery had endorsed every single procedural step.Booth-Level Consensus: How 25,000 Polling Stations Verified Voter Additions and DeletionsThe BJP leader detailed the transparent ground mechanism that governed the electoral roll revisions throughout the border state:Mandatory Representation at Every Booth: As established under the statutory election code, booth-level agents (BLAs) representing all recognized political parties—including AAP, Congress, and the BJP—were actively deployed alongside Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across more than 25,000 booths in Punjab.Written Consent and Zero Complaints: Throughout the exercise, field officers conducted scheduled coordination meetings, directly exchanging draft voter data and securing formal written endorsements or resolving localized objections on the spot.Constituency-Level Data Transparency: Highlighting data gathered from numerous assembly segments, Jakhar pointed out that every single vote deleted or newly registered took place under the direct observation and signed agreement of representatives appointed by local constituency leaders.'Consenting Behind Closed Doors, Protesting on Roads': Jakhar's Stern WarningJakhar directly challenged opposition parties to respect democratic institutions and own up to their internal commitments:Upholding Constitutional Integrity: The senior leader insisted that political organizations cannot exploit constitutional processes to register legitimate agreements behind closed doors while playing victim in public to score populist headlines.Call for Accountability: Emphasizing that BJP representatives were actively involved at every stage and had documented their consent transparently, Jakhar urged AAP and Congress leadership to cease misleading voters, conclude their orchestrated demonstrations, and respect the constitutional safeguards built into the electoral system.