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INDIA Bloc MPs Plan March Demanding Election Chief’s Removal
Opposition lawmakers in India plan to march to the Election Commission on Tuesday.
They say there are problems with the process for checking and updating voter lists.
They also want Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar removed.
The march is part of a larger campaign called “Save Democracy.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said more meetings and marches are planned in the coming weeks.
He said the campaign will also seek information about 13.5 crore people the Opposition says are missing from voter lists.
The Supreme Court said it had not approved a changed version of a voter-enrolment form.
It did not suspend Kumar right away and will consider the allegations after receiving responses.
INDIA bloc MPs plan to march from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters at 11 a.m. Tuesday, assembling at Makar Dwar at 10:30 a.m.
The Opposition says the peaceful march will protest alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision and seek Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said INDIA alliance parties would hold district-level marches through October 8, followed by further block-, state- and district-level programmes.
Ramesh said a later campaign would seek information about 13.5 crore voters whom the Opposition says are missing from electoral rolls.
The Supreme Court said it had not approved a modified Form 6 and declined to suspend Kumar immediately, issuing notices to the Centre, the Election Commission and others.
- Who
- INDIA bloc MPs and opposition parties, including Congress; Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is the subject of their removal demand.
- What
- A planned march to the Election Commission over alleged electoral-roll irregularities and a demand for Kumar’s removal.
- Where
- From Makar Dwar at Parliament House to Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission of India headquarters, in New Delhi.
- When
- Tuesday morning; MPs are due to assemble at 10:30 a.m. before an 11 a.m. march. The article also reports Supreme Court proceedings on Monday.
- Why
- The Opposition says it is protesting alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision, alleged vote theft and discrepancies in electoral rolls.
Opposition’s allegations and demands
Court’s stated position and pending responses
Electoral-roll process
Opposition’s allegations and demands
The Opposition alleges irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision, discrepancies in electoral rolls and vote theft, and is demanding greater transparency.
Court’s stated position and pending responses
The Supreme Court has not determined the allegations; it said it would examine them after receiving responses from the respondents.
Removal of the chief election commissioner
Opposition’s allegations and demands
The INDIA bloc is calling for Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, and Mamata Banerjee said protests would continue until he resigns.
Court’s stated position and pending responses
The Supreme Court declined to suspend Kumar immediately through an ex-parte interim order and issued notices to the Centre, the Election Commission, Kumar and other officials.
Modified Form 6
Opposition’s allegations and demands
The petition raises concerns over the alteration of Form 6 and electoral-roll systems, alleging decisions were taken without the other commissioners’ participation or approval.
Court’s stated position and pending responses
Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court had not approved any modified Form 6 and said it would want to see who had modified it.
Key facts
- Assembly time
- 10:30 a.m. at Makar Dwar
- Planned march time
- 11 a.m. Tuesday
- Route
- Parliament House to Nirvachan Sadan, Election Commission headquarters
- Main demand
- Removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Campaign
- The Opposition’s “Save Democracy” campaign
- Voter figure cited
- Ramesh said the campaign would seek information about 13.5 crore voters whose names the Opposition says are absent from voter lists.
- Supreme Court on Form 6
- Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court had not approved a modified version of the form.
- Interim suspension request
- The court declined to issue an ex-parte interim order suspending Kumar and issued notices to the respondents.
Quotes
Jairam Ramesh
Senior Congress leader who announced the march schedule.
“At 11 AM (Tuesday), MPs of all opposition parties will march peacefully from Parliament House to the Election Commission. Everyone has been given the time of 10.30 AM to assemble at Makar Dwar.”
deccanchronicle.com
“Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let's be clear. When the record is produced, we would like to see who has modified.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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