1 hr ago
Opposition Protests Demand Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal
Opposition parties in India are protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
They want him removed from office.
The protests happened in several places, and police sometimes detained protesters or used water cannons.
A report said two other Election Commissioners had objected to some decisions about voter lists.
These decisions included how new voters are added and how names are removed or restored.
The Election Commission said disagreements are a normal part of checking important decisions.
It also said that the final decisions were made unanimously.
The opposition says the reported objections require an investigation.
The BJP supports the Election Commission and says the opposition is attacking an important democratic institution.
Opposition parties held nationwide protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, with detentions and water-cannon use reported.
The protests followed reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi filed at least 14 objections over 10 months.
The objections reportedly concerned voter-registration forms, electoral-roll changes, West Bengal appeals and control of election data.
The Election Commission said internal differences are normal and stressed that its final decisions, including on the Special Intensive Revision, were unanimous.
Opposition parties are preparing a third parliamentary removal notice, while the BJP defended the Commission and accused the opposition of undermining democratic institutions.
- Who
- Congress-led INDIA bloc and other opposition parties, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Election Commission of India, and the BJP.
- What
- Nationwide protests and a planned parliamentary removal notice over reported dissent within the Election Commission and controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Where
- Protests were reported in Chandigarh, Patna, Guwahati, Lucknow, Dehradun, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and other locations across India.
- When
- Protests took place on Friday after the reported objections and Rahul Gandhi’s criticism on Thursday; the objections covered a period of 10 months.
- Why
- The opposition says reported objections by two Election Commissioners raise concerns about electoral-roll decisions, transparency and institutional accountability; the Election Commission and BJP reject claims of institutional breakdown.
Opposition parties
Election Commission and BJP
Meaning of internal objections
Opposition parties
The opposition says the reported objections indicate serious concerns about electoral-roll decisions and require institutional scrutiny and investigation.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission and BJP say written queries and differences are normal internal checks, not evidence of a breakdown.
Special Intensive Revision
Opposition parties
Opposition parties argue that the scale of the revision and the reported objections raise questions about the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission says the revision is being conducted within the law and that its decisions were collectively and unanimously taken.
Removal of the Chief Election Commissioner
Opposition parties
Opposition parties are demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation or removal and are preparing another notice in Parliament.
Election Commission and BJP
The BJP rejects the allegations, supports the poll panel and says the opposition is attempting to discredit a constitutional institution.
Key facts
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Reported objections
- At least 14 formal objections by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over 10 months
- Main issue
- Decisions concerning electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision
- Reported scale of deletions
- More than 13 crore names were struck from draft rolls across 30 States and Union Territories, subject to verification and claims-and-objections procedures
- Parliamentary action
- Opposition parties are preparing a third attempt to initiate Kumar’s removal proceedings
- Election Commission position
- Internal observations and disagreements are normal, while final decisions were unanimous
- BJP position
- Differences reflected democratic deliberation rather than institutional failure
Quotes
Sambit Patra
BJP national spokesperson and Member of Parliament
“We are not trying to save anybody. We are trying to save democracy.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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