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Congress Protests Across Karnataka, Demands Chief Election Commissioner’s Removal
Congress workers held protests in many parts of Karnataka.
They criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission.
They said the checking of voter lists could remove eligible voters.
They especially expressed concern about minorities, Dalits and poor people.
Protesters demanded that Kumar leave his post.
Some also demanded that he be arrested and that the process be investigated.
In some places, protesters burned effigies and gave officials a memorandum.
Congress leader M B Patil said duplicate voter entries may be removed, but genuine voters should not lose their voting rights.
The Election Commission’s response was not included in these reports.
Congress workers protested in several Karnataka districts, demanding the removal, resignation and, in some places, arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests took place in Mangaluru, Chitradurga, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Mandya and Bengaluru.
Congress leaders alleged that the Election Commission was being misused during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Protesters burned effigies, submitted a memorandum to the President and called for an investigation into the electoral-roll revision process.
Congress leaders claimed that eligible voters, particularly minorities, Dalits and poor people, risked being excluded from the rolls.
- Who
- Congress workers and leaders in Karnataka, including M B Patil and B K Hariprasad, protested against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission.
- What
- They demanded Kumar’s removal or resignation and opposed the ongoing revision of electoral rolls, including the Special Intensive Revision.
- Where
- Protests were held in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Chitradurga, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Mandya in Karnataka.
- When
- The protests were reported on Monday; the report carried a Bengaluru dateline of September 28, without specifying the year.
- Why
- Congress alleged that the Election Commission was being misused and that eligible voters could be removed from electoral rolls.
Key facts
- Main demand
- Removal, resignation and in some protests arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- Electoral exercise
- The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Reported locations
- Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Chitradurga, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Mandya.
- Vijayapura objections
- M B Patil claimed that 1,372 voters in Babaleshwar constituency faced objection applications.
- Additional objections
- Patil claimed 5,000 objections were filed in Vijayapura City constituency on September 22 and 8,000 on September 23.
- Bengaluru claim
- B K Hariprasad alleged that 50 lakh names had been removed from the city’s electoral rolls.
- Congress position
- Duplicate entries may be deleted, but no genuine voter should lose the right to vote.
Quotes
B K Hariprasad
Congress state president in Karnataka
“The responsibility given to you is that, in every constituency, you must ensure, as a matter of utmost importance, that the name of no genuine voter is removed from the electoral roll.”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
“We have no objection if duplicate entries (votes registered in two places) are deleted. But we will not allow even a single person to lose their right to vote.”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
Sources
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