1 hr ago
Opposition MPs March to Election Commission Over SIR
Opposition lawmakers planned to march to India’s Election Commission headquarters.
They are unhappy with a voter-list review process called the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR.
They say the Commission has not been fair and want its chief to resign.
The Election Commission says its decisions about SIR were unanimous.
The Supreme Court said it had not approved a changed version of Form 6, a form used to apply to register as a voter.
It plans to check the Commission’s records to learn whether the form was changed and who approved it.
Police and other security personnel were deployed near the planned march route.
The Biju Janata Dal said it would join the protest, while the DMK’s participation was uncertain.
INDIA bloc MPs planned to march from Parliament’s Makar Dwar to the Election Commission headquarters at 11 am.
The opposition is protesting the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyaneshwar Kumar’s resignation.
The Biju Janata Dal said it would join the protest; whether the DMK would participate was unclear.
The Supreme Court said it had not approved a modified Form 6 and would examine Election Commission records to determine whether changes were made and authorised.
Security was increased around Parliament and the Election Commission headquarters, with barricades also placed near the Congress office.
- Who
- INDIA bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Abhishek Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav; the Biju Janata Dal said it would join.
- What
- A planned march to the Election Commission headquarters, with opposition MPs demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyaneshwar Kumar’s resignation.
- Where
- From Parliament’s Makar Dwar to Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission headquarters, in New Delhi.
- When
- The march was expected to begin at 11 am; the article does not provide a calendar date.
- Why
- The opposition is protesting the SIR electoral-roll exercise and alleged changes to the Form 6 declaration, and says the Election Commission has not acted impartially.
Opposition criticism
Election Commission and BJP responses
Impartiality and SIR
Opposition criticism
Opposition leaders allege the Election Commission has not acted impartially and object to aspects of the SIR exercise.
Election Commission and BJP responses
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions of a split and said SIR-related decisions were taken unanimously.
Form 6 changes
Opposition criticism
Opposition MPs say the Commission’s statement that the Form 6 declaration was upheld by the Supreme Court was misleading.
Election Commission and BJP responses
The Commission said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld; the Supreme Court said it had not approved a modified version and would examine the records.
Protest and next steps
Opposition criticism
Opposition MPs said they intended to march peacefully and questioned the heavy security deployment.
Election Commission and BJP responses
The BJP said the opposition should wait for the Supreme Court’s judgment rather than take to the streets; BJP critics also said impeachment must follow parliamentary procedure.
Key facts
- Planned starting point
- Parliament’s Makar Dwar
- Destination
- Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission headquarters
- Expected start time
- 11 am
- Main demand
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyaneshwar Kumar
- Protest focus
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the Form 6 declaration
- Biju Janata Dal position
- The party decided to join the protest
- Supreme Court position
- It said it had not approved a modified Form 6 and would examine Election Commission records
Quotes
Imran Masood
Congress MP
“Across the country, the institution that Gyanesh Kumar headed was an institution the entire country trusted, an institution the entire country took pride in and felt proud of. Questions were never raised over its impartiality. One person has broken that trust.”
thehansindia.com
“We are MPs. We are members of Parliament. We are also citizens of this country. Why is there a need to deploy such a large force to stop us? We will walk and go. We are unarmed.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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