2 hrs ago
Gehlot, Dotasra Detained During Jaipur Congress Protest Over SIR
The Congress party held a protest in Jaipur about how voter lists are being updated.
Its leaders said the process could wrongly remove eligible voters.
Police placed barricades along the protest route.
When some protesters tried to pass, police used water cannons and detained several leaders.
Ashok Gehlot and Govind Singh Dotasra were among those detained.
They were later released from the police station.
Congress also demanded action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Election Commission services allow voters to check older rolls and submit documents when they receive notices.
Ashok Gehlot and Govind Singh Dotasra were detained during a Congress march to the State Election Commission office in Jaipur.
Police used water cannons after protesters encountered barricades and scuffles broke out; the leaders were later released.
Congress leaders accused the Election Commission of vote theft, voter-rights violations and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision process.
The party demanded the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Congress leaders alleged changes to Form 6, centralized electoral-roll management and deletions of voter names without adequate local scrutiny.
- Who
- Rajasthan Congress leaders and workers, including Ashok Gehlot, Govind Singh Dotasra and Tika Ram Jully, were involved; police detained several protesters.
- What
- Congress held a protest march alleging vote theft and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Where
- The protest began at Shaheed Smarak and moved toward the State Election Commission office in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
- When
- Monday; the articles do not specify the calendar date.
- Why
- Congress said the electoral-roll revision process threatened voters’ rights and demanded action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Congress allegations
Election authorities’ stated process
Electoral-roll revision
Congress allegations
Congress alleged that the Special Intensive Revision process could deprive genuine voters of their rights and lead to voter-name deletions.
Election authorities’ stated process
The Election Commission has continued overseeing the revision process, while its voter-services portal provides access to the last SIR roll and allows documents to be submitted against notices.
Form 6 and voter eligibility
Congress allegations
Tika Ram Jully alleged that changes to Form 6 made the 2002 electoral rolls a basis for establishing eligibility and excluded large numbers of people.
Election authorities’ stated process
The articles do not report a direct Election Commission response to this allegation.
Control over electoral records
Congress allegations
Congress leaders alleged that ERO-Net centralized the electoral-roll system and allowed names to be added or deleted without adequate local scrutiny.
Election authorities’ stated process
The articles report concerns raised by Election Commissioners about central concentration of powers, but do not provide a direct response from the Election Commission.
Key facts
- Main organizers
- Rajasthan Congress
- Protest location
- Jaipur, Rajasthan
- Detained leaders
- Ashok Gehlot and Govind Singh Dotasra, among others
- Police response
- Barricades, water cannons and detentions after scuffles
- Central issue
- Alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Congress demand
- Resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Voter service
- The Election Commission portal allows voters to check the last SIR roll and submit documents against notices
Quotes
Ashok Gehlot
Former Rajasthan chief minister and senior Congress leader
“Congress workers will have to remain alert. This is a do-or-die battle. Workers should go among the people, understand the situation in the country and see how they can contribute to saving democracy.”
indianexpress.com
“The government resorted to hooliganism in the urban local body elections and misused police and administration. We lost the elections because of delimitation.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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