Oppn protests across states seek CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, turn up heat over SIR

Opposition parties, led by the Congress, staged protests in several states on Monday (September 28) demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and alleging irregularities in the ongoing revision of electoral rolls and misuse of the Election Commission.

The protests come amid opposition parties’ growing criticism of the Election Commission’s handling of electoral roll revisions, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and calls for greater transparency in the process.

Delhi

Protests in the national capital turned violent as hundreds of Congress workers marched towards the BJP headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg. They also attempted to march towards the EC headquarters. A heavy police force was deployed to stop the protesters. Angry workers broke through police barricades and attempted to advance, forcing police to stop them.

Congress leader Udit Raj told The Federal Desh, “Gyanesh Kumar must be forced to resign. He is not a man of the straight path; he has no dignity or honesty left. Unless there is a massive struggle and movement, it will not be possible to remove him from his post. He must be driven out.”

Questioning the recent meetings and press conferences of the EC, Udit Raj said: “It’s not about the three commissioners sitting together, the question is that there’s no legal provision for SIR. They have imposed a new condition in Form 6 that your father or grandfather must have voted in 2002 to become a voter. Legally, there are only three conditions required to become a voter: A person must be 18 years old, an Indian citizen, and living in India. There can be no fourth condition beyond this. This illegal rule has resulted in the votes of millions of people being cancelled.”

He further alleged that the authority of the SDM-rank Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) has been taken away and complete digital control has been given to the Director General of Information Technology, which is completely illegal.

Congress leader Amrita Dhawan told The Federal Desh, “(It is) clear to what extent Gyanesh Kumar has gone to please the Prime Minister. He has compromised the entire election system of the country. People’s votes are being cancelled without any notice. The appeal process has also been made completely fake and complicated so that the common citizen gets fed up and sits at home.”

She added: “There was a time when the SIR process was used to add new votes, but today, under BJP rule, it is being used to divide and divide votes. The Prime Minister himself does not show his graduation degree to the country, but is demanding proof of documents from every poor and common citizen of the country. Elections are no longer fair and transparent, so the public is now forced to take to the streets.”

Karnataka

Congress workers staged protests in several parts of Karnataka, including Mangaluru, Chitradurga, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Mandya, with party workers raising slogans against the Centre and the EC, burning effigies and submitting memoranda seeking Kumar's removal.

Also read | Why EC's reconciliation statement reads more like a confession

In Vijayapura, Industries Minister MB Patil alleged that the BJP-led central government was misusing the EC over the SIR and claimed eligible voters were being deprived of their rights. In Bengaluru, Congress state president BK Hariprasad alleged that 50 lakh names had been removed from electoral rolls in the city and claimed minorities, Dalits and poor people were being left out.

Telangana

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday claimed that the Congress' concerns over deletion of voters' names during the SIR of electoral rolls had been vindicated after two Election Commissioners acknowledged the issue.

Carrying a copy of the Constitution, Vikramarka attended a dharna by the ruling Congress at the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Hyderabad.

Congress state president B Mahesh Kumar Goud demanded Kumar's removal and called for the publication, to the extent legally permissible, of records relating to decisions reportedly questioned by the two Election Commissioners.

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Congress held protests across the state, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and bias by the Election Commission of India.

The party also alleged that the ECI and CEC were acting in favour of the BJP, citing a report on objections reportedly raised by two Election Commissioners over SIR-related decisions. Protests were held in Pune, Nagpur and Kolhapur, where Congress workers submitted memoranda and demanded Kumar's resignation.

Jharkhand

Congress workers on Monday gheraoed the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Ranchi and staged protests at district headquarters across Jharkhand.

Workers marched to the CEO’s office, raised slogans and burnt effigies of Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. State Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh alleged that the Election Commission was favouring the BJP and depriving eligible voters of their rights.

A delegation later met CEO K Ravi Kumar and submitted a memorandum, urging him to ensure that no eligible voter was removed from electoral rolls. Protests were also held in Bokaro, Hazaribag, Latehar, Chatra and Palamu.

Bihar

CPI workers and members of affiliated organisations clashed with police during a protest march to the Lok Bhavan in Patna on Monday, demanding cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act.

Protesters breached barricades at Dak Bungalow Crossing, prompting police to use water cannons to disperse them. Police said some protesters indulged in stone-pelting, injuring a few people, while several others were detained.

Madhya Pradesh

Congress members scuffled with police and tried to climb barricades while marching towards the Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer’s office in Bhopal.

Police used water cannons to stop the protesters, while a party functionary claimed three workers, including a woman, were injured. MP Congress president Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar led slogans of “Vote chor, gaddi chhod”. Patwari said protests would be held outside collectorates across the state on Tuesday.

Rajasthan

Rajasthan Congress workers on Monday marched towards the State Election Commission office in Jaipur to protest alleged vote theft and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, but police stopped the march using water cannons.

Also read | Form 6 flaws, past polls, other red flags: What EC dissent row has exposed

Party leaders, including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state president Govind Singh Dotasra and Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, participated in the protest. Dotasra accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of irregularities in the SIR, while Gehlot alleged that democratic institutions were being weakened.