NEW DELHI: PM Modi on Sunday heaped praise on Election Commission for strengthening democracy through fair polls and using the power of technology to “strengthen people’s power”, his remarks coming amid continuing attacks on the poll body by opposition parties.
In the year’s first episode of Mann Ki Baat, Modi said, “I would like to thank Election Commission, which has modernised and strengthened our voting process from time to time. EC has used the power of technology to strengthen people’s power.”

PM lauds EC for fair polls, says vote in maximum numbers

The PM said, “I congratulate the EC for its commitment to fair elections. I would like to urge countrymen to use their right to vote, always, in maximum numbers and also become a part of the country’s democratic process and strengthen this process.” Modi’s endorsement of the EC comes at a time when the poll body faces criticism from Congress and other opposition parties over its conduct of elections. The opposition has alleged discrepancies in the voters list and also in voter turnout numbers, particularly in the Maharashtra assembly polls. They have also constantly cast doubts on electronic voting machines despite the Supreme Court rejecting all allegations against the reliability of EVMs.
The PM mentioned National Voters’ Day celebrated on Jan 25 and called it important as on this day, the EC was established. “Our Constitution makers have accorded a very important place to our EC and equally to people’s participation in democracy,” he said. “When the first elections were held in the country in 1951-52, some people were doubtful whether the country’s democracy would survive. But our democracy proved all the apprehensions wrong, after all, India is the mother of democracy,” he added.
Modi also emphasised on unity and how the founding guardians envisaged the Constitution as an instrument to achieve this objective. He said India’s unity, as envisioned by its founders, was in its diversity and the collective spirit of its people.
Ahead of the 75th anniversary of its Republic Day, Modi invoked the luminaries of the Constituent Assembly and played archival audio clips of three members — B R Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
He highlighted Ambedkar’s role and said, “Babasaheb had been emphasising the fact that the Constituent Assembly should be united, have one opinion and work together for the common good.” The PM also mentioned Prasad’s cultural approach to unity and Mookerjee’s call for equality of opportunities.