Congress Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala slammed BJP and called the party a “Super Election Commission” after a controversy erupted following Amit Malviya’s tweet that gave out Karnataka election dates before the Election Commission of India announced them.

The Congress leader said in a tweet, “BJP becomes the ‘Super Election Commission’ as they announce poll dates for Karnataka even before the EC”, adding that the “Credibility of EC is on test”.

“Will EC now issue notice to BJP President, Amit Shah & register an FIR against BJP IT Head for leaking EC’s confidential information?” Surjewala asked in his tweet.

BJP becomes the ‘Super Election Commission’ as they announce poll dates for Karnataka even before the EC.

Credibility of EC is on test.
Will EC now issue notice to BJP President, Amit Shah & register an FIR against BJP IT Head for leaking EC’s confidential information? pic.twitter.com/i3vU2iJpjH

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 27, 2018

Meanwhile, former cricketer and Congress member of Parliament Kirit Azad has said that Amit Malviya was “Steve Smith of BJP”.

Controversy erupted after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT-cell head Amit Malviya revealed the polling and counting dates for Karnataka Assembly elections even before the Election Commission did so.

Malviya tweeted May 12 and May 18 as the dates for polling and counting, respectively. The official dates, as declared by the EC later, are May 12 and May 15.

After the issue was raised with Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat by journalists, Malviya deleted the tweet.

When Malviya was asked by a senior journalist on Twitter how he had access to the dates before the EC announcement, Malviya said a news channel flashed the dates and they were already public.

EC to launch probe

On how BJP’s IT Cell head Amit Malviya had the dates of Karnataka elections on social media even before the official announcement, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said the matter would be investigated.

“Be assured that actions legally and administratively befitting will be taken,” Rawat added.

Karnataka Assembly elections

The term of the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ends on 28 May this year.

The BJP is seeking to wrest control of the southern state from the Congress and has already declared former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate.

Also read | Karnataka Assembly election: Polling on May 12, results on May 15

The ruling Congress will contest the polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in its bid to retain its hold over the state. Karnataka is the only big state, besides Punjab, which is now ruled by the Congress.

It is vital for the Congress to retain Karnataka to set a tone for the 2019 general elections, and also because it is currently in power only in three states — Punjab, Karnataka and Mizoram, besides the Union Territory of Puducherry.