Stories
NCP (SP) Protests CEC Kumar's "Autocratic Functioning," Demands Removal Over Electoral Roll Irregularities
- •NCP (SP) workers, led by MLA Jitendra Awhad, protested in Thane against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his removal over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
- •The protest highlighted concerns about the Election Commission of India's (ECI) "autocratic functioning" and questioned the electoral rolls revision exercise.
- •Demonstrators paraded a man impersonating Kumar on a donkey and chanted slogans accusing the ECI of taking unilateral decisions in favor of the ruling establishment.
- •Awhad cited constitutional protocol, stating that decisions in the three-member commission should follow a 2:1 majority, and criticized the overriding of 14 objections raised by ECs SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi regarding potential discrepancies and unauthorized alterations to Form 6.
- •NCP (SP) demanded that the 14 objections be formally upheld, necessary corrections implemented, and Kumar removed, emphasizing the need for ECI autonomy and transparency in the voter registration process.
Key Questions Answered
NCP (SP) workers protested against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to demand his removal over alleged irregularities and unilateral decisions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. They accused him of overriding 14 dissent objections raised by fellow Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
Former Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad stated that the Constitution grants equal authority to all three members of the commission and stipulates that decisions should follow a 2:1 majority when opinions differ. He argued that overriding the 14 objections raised by ECs Sandhu and Joshi violated constitutional norms.
Manoj Pradhan demanded complete institutional autonomy for the ECI, the immediate formal upholding of the 14 raised objections, and a full investigation alongside the removal of the CEC. He also stressed that modifying Form 6 without public disclosure undermines young citizens' voting rights.
