New Delhi, July 13 -- With former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi recalling the respect the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had for the Election Commission, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of viewing the poll body "as an instrument to exercise political hegemony".

In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi of "capturing" the Election Commission and, referring to the SIR process, alleged that there had been "mass disenfranchisement" in pursuit of PM Modi's political goals.

"Dr. Manmohan Singh's comment made to a former CEC that he considered the Election Commission as 'the soul of our democracy' has invited media attention. Dr. Singh's comment is in sharp contrast ...