Opposition leaders demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation for a third consecutive day, while 42 retired judges back the Election Commission and its electoral roll revision exercise
New Delhi: The INDIA bloc’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar entered its third consecutive day in Delhi on Thursday, with Opposition MPs and leaders staging a sit-in at Raj Ghat to demand his resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with other Opposition leaders, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi before beginning the protest. Gandhi said the agitation would continue until Kumar resigned, accusing the government and the Election Commission of undermining the electoral process.
The protest follows two days of demonstrations in which Opposition MPs were stopped by security personnel during marches and several leaders were detained. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to public concerns over the electoral process.
Meanwhile, 42 retired judges, including former Supreme Court judges and High Court chief justices, have defended the Election Commission and backed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a lawful exercise.
In an open letter, they said criticism of institutions was a democratic right but warned against their public denigration. They also argued that election law empowers the EC to revise voter lists.
The contrasting positions underline the escalating confrontation between the Opposition and the Election Commission over the SIR process. The EC and the BJP have rejected allegations of electoral manipulation.
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