Left Parties Demand Removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Call for Halt to SIR

New Delhi: The CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML)-Liberation have stepped up their criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an immediate halt to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The demands follow a meeting of Left leaders at AKG Bhawan in New Delhi amid a growing political controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission and the handling of electoral rolls.

The development comes after an investigation by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over a 10-month period to decisions and processes within the Commission. The issues reportedly included voter registration and deletion, changes to Form 6, access to electoral-roll databases and aspects of the SIR process.

Left Parties Raise Concerns Over ECI

The Left parties said the disclosures reinforced concerns they had previously raised about the SIR and the functioning of the Election Commission.

They alleged that decisions affecting voter registration, deletion and restoration of names had been taken without adequately addressing objections raised within the Commission. They also accused the ECI leadership of undermining the institution's independence and public credibility.

The parties further alleged that the Commission was acting in favour of the ruling BJP. This is an allegation made by the opposition parties; the Election Commission and the BJP have rejected allegations that the poll body is manipulating electoral processes to benefit the ruling party.

Demand for Gyanesh Kumar's Removal

The Left parties said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar should be held accountable for the controversy and demanded that he be removed from office.

In their joint statement, the parties argued that the credibility of India's electoral system depends on the Election Commission functioning independently, impartially and transparently.

They claimed that problems surrounding voter enrolment, deletion and restoration during the SIR had weakened public confidence in the institution.

Four Key Demands

The Left parties have put forward four major demands:

1. Removal of CEC Gyanesh KumarThey have demanded that Gyanesh Kumar be removed from the post of Chief Election Commissioner.

2. Halt the SIR processThey want the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to be stopped and voting rights restored to eligible voters they say were wrongfully excluded.

3. Restore independent functioning of the ECIThe parties have called for measures to ensure what they describe as the independent, democratic and transparent functioning of the Election Commission.

4. Change the appointment processThey have sought a new mechanism for appointing Election Commissioners based on the selection committee envisaged in the Supreme Court's 2023 judgment, consisting of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Justice of India.

Nationwide Protest Call

The Left parties have also called for week-long protests across the country from September 26 to October 2.

The programme includes the birth anniversary of revolutionary Bhagat Singh on September 28 and concludes on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2.

The parties have appealed to other opposition parties, civil-society organisations and citizens to join the campaign over voting rights and the independence of the Election Commission.

Election Commission Responds

The Election Commission has disputed the suggestion that internal observations demonstrate a breakdown in its decision-making process.

Responding to The Indian Express investigation, the ECI said differing views and observations were a normal part of institutional deliberations. It maintained that the Commission's major decisions over the past year, including electoral-roll revisions and the SIR, were ultimately taken unanimously by the full Commission.

Following the controversy, the Commission also announced changes concerning SIR notices, voter documentation, Form 6, database access and IT oversight. Among the changes, Booth Level Officers will collect documents from the homes of certain voters rather than requiring them to appear for hearings except in exceptional circumstances.

The political dispute, however, continues, with opposition parties pressing for greater scrutiny of the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR process. #ElectionCommission #GyaneshKumar #SIR #LeftParties #IndianPolitics #VotingRights