New Delhi, Sept 29: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation on “moral grounds”, alleging that the CEC was being pressured by the government.
Addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi, Kharge accused the BJP-led government of undermining the autonomy of the Election Commission and alleged that the poll body had been reduced to a “puppet” of the ruling dispensation. These are allegations made by the Congress; the Election Commission has maintained that decisions relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were taken through established procedures and rejected reports suggesting a formal rift within the poll panel.
Kharge said the Congress would intensify its campaign against the Election Commission and the central government, both on the streets and in Parliament, over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the election process.
The Congress president also placed five key demands before the government and the poll panel. These include full disclosure of data relating to changes made to electoral rolls, an opportunity for voters whose names have been deleted to appeal, and timely supply of voter lists to all political parties in a simple and accessible format.
The party also sought independent and time-bound investigations wherever serious discrepancies are found. Kharge called for greater transparency in the electoral process so that there is no perception that information is being withheld.
Referring to reported objections raised by two Election Commissioners over certain decisions, Kharge alleged that some actions of the CEC had been described as “arbitrary and unreasonable”. On that basis, he demanded Kumar’s immediate removal from office.
Kharge also accused Prime Minister Modi of exerting pressure on the CEC and said the Prime Minister should take moral responsibility and resign.
The CWC meeting comes amid a political row over the SIR exercise, changes to Form 6, additions and deletions from electoral rolls and the handling of voter-roll data. The controversy has intensified with the Opposition demanding greater transparency, while the Election Commission has said internal differences or differing views during deliberations do not amount to a breakdown in the institution’s functioning.
