Stories
CPI(M) Demands Immediate Halt to SIR Process, Removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
- •The CPI(M) called for an immediate halt to the SIR process and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- •The demand follows a report by The Indian Express stating that two Election Commissioners objected to several decisions during the SIR exercise.
- •Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly raised objections 14 times over 10 months regarding voter database decisions.
- •The CPI(M) stated that these revelations raise serious questions about the integrity of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
- •The party accused the CEC of imposing his views without considering objections from other EC colleagues and centralizing the system.
Key Questions Answered
The CPI(M) demanded an immediate halt to the SIR process and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following a news report that two other election commissioners had formally objected to numerous decisions made by the poll panel. The Politburo stated that these revelations compromise the integrity and transparency of the Election Commission of India.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objected at least 14 times over a 10-month period to various decisions and orders by the poll panel. These objections involved matters such as the addition, deletion, and restoration of voters, handling of the voter database across states, and changes to the voter registration process.
The CPI(M) demanded that transparency in appointing election commissioners must be ensured by scrapping current legislation and enacting a new one. They want the new law to adopt Supreme Court guidelines for a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.
