The Haryana Congress on Friday staged a protest at the Sector 9/17 dividing road, demanding the removal and arrest of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The state Congress also sought an independent review of all election related decisions taken and changes made in voter lists during his tenure.
The protest was led by Haryana Congress president Rao Narender Singh and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda. State Congress in-charge Sanjay Dutt was also present.
They raised slogans against the chief election commissioner and demanded transparency and accountability in the functioning of the election commission. The party demands that the objections recorded within the election commission and decisions related to the addition and deletion of names from voter lists be made public, and that the entire matter be subjected to an impartial and independent review. Reports have also recently emerged indicating that two election commissioners within the commission, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, raised objections on several occasions.
Congress workers started their protest from Sector 9 but were thwarted by water cannons and subsequently detained.
A party statement said that serious questions have been raised regarding the functioning of the election commission and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. State Congress president Rao Narender Singh said that fairness in the electoral process and the rights of voters are paramount in a democracy. He said that all major election-related decisions taken during the tenure of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, changes made in electoral rolls, and the SIR process should be subjected to an independent and impartial review. Earlier reporting noted: They raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi , accusing him of misusing the Election Commission (EC) for his political advantage, and said that he was involved in the murder of democracy.
Earlier reporting noted: Congress protest in Mysuru, demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation Congress workers protest seeking resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Mysuru Friday Earlier reporting noted: Mysuru: Congress activists led by former MLA MK Somashekhar held a protest at Ramaswamy Circle in Mysuru, demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged differences among the poll panel’s top officers on key electoral decisions.
Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said questions being raised regarding the electoral process should be addressed in a transparent manner and that the rights of voters must be fully protected.
