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CPI(M) Demands SIR Halt and Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal
The CPI(M) is a political party that criticized the Election Commission of India.
It wants the SIR voter-list process to stop immediately.
It also wants Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to leave his post.
The party made these demands after a report said two other election commissioners had objected to decisions many times.
The reported disagreements involved adding, removing and restoring voters.
The CPI(M) said the disagreements raised questions about how the commission was being run.
Election Commission sources said that all decisions, including SIR, were approved unanimously.
The two sides therefore disagree about whether the commission’s decisions were properly agreed upon.
The CPI(M) demanded an immediate halt to the SIR process and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The demand followed a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times to Election Commission decisions over 10 months.
The objections reportedly concerned voter additions, deletions, restorations and changes to the voter-registration process.
The CPI(M) alleged that Gyanesh Kumar imposed his views despite objections from the other commissioners and centralised decision-making.
Election Commission sources said all decisions, including SIR, were unanimous and approved by both Election Commissioners and the CEC.
- Who
- The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
- What
- The CPI(M) demanded that the SIR process be stopped and that Gyanesh Kumar be removed, citing reported objections by the two other commissioners.
- Where
- New Delhi; the reported decisions involved voter-roll and voter-database work in various states.
- When
- Wednesday, September 23; the report cited objections made over the previous 10 months.
- Why
- The CPI(M) said the reported disagreements raised concerns about the Election Commission’s integrity, transparency and democratic functioning.
CPI(M) and Critics
Election Commission Sources
Whether decisions were properly agreed
CPI(M) and Critics
The CPI(M) said the CEC ignored objections from the other two commissioners and imposed his views instead of following a majority or unanimity-based process.
Election Commission Sources
Election Commission sources said all decisions, including SIR, were unanimous and had the approval of both Election Commissioners and the CEC.
Integrity and transparency
CPI(M) and Critics
The CPI(M) said the disclosures raised serious questions about the ECI’s integrity and showed that decision-making had become overly centralised and unclear.
Election Commission Sources
EC sources maintained that the commission’s decisions were duly approved; the report does not include a separate detailed response to the CPI(M)’s broader allegations.
Future of the SIR process
CPI(M) and Critics
The CPI(M) demanded that SIR be stopped immediately, saying opposition parties and civil society groups had long raised concerns about it.
Election Commission Sources
The Election Commission sources indicated that SIR decisions were unanimous, supporting continuation of the process.
Key facts
- Demand
- The CPI(M) called for an immediate halt to the SIR process.
- Requested action
- The party said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar should be removed.
- Reported objections
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly objected at least 14 times over 10 months.
- Issues cited
- The objections reportedly involved voter additions, deletions, restorations and voter-registration changes.
- CPI(M) allegation
- The party alleged that the CEC imposed his views and centralised decision-making.
- Election Commission response
- EC sources said all decisions, including SIR, were unanimous and approved by all three commissioners.
- Additional reform demand
- The CPI(M) called for changes to the legislation governing Election Commissioner appointments and cited Supreme Court guidelines for a selection committee.
Quotes
CPI(M)
Communist Party of India (Marxist), the political party issuing the statement
“The disclosures have only strengthened suspicions and concerns that the CPI(M), other opposition parties and civil society organisations have all along raised since the SIR process was initiated.”
theprint.in
“People have lost confidence in a compromised Election Commission, for which CEC Gyanesh Kumar should be held accountable. He cannot continue in office any longer.”
theprint.in
Sources
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