Jammu, 25 September (H.S.): Scores of Congress workers and leaders were detained on Friday as the party staged a protest in Jammu demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Congress MP and AICC general secretary Dr Syed Naseer Hussain led the protest, with several senior party leaders, including former ministers and former legislators, participating in the demonstration.

The protesters raised slogans against Kumar and burnt his effigy while attempting to march towards the Election Commission office in Jammu.

A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary personnel was deployed around the office to prevent the protesters from proceeding. The protesters had brief scuffles with security personnel before several of them were detained, including the top leaders and taken away in buses.

We have been detained in large numbers. They were taken away in buses. We demand the CEC's resignation. That is why we held the protest here today, former deputy chief minister Tara Chand told reporters.

Congress workers gathered outside the EC office and attempted to gherao the premises as part of the party's nationwide protest demanding Kumar's removal.

The Congress has also sought an independent review of decisions and electoral roll changes made under his tenure.

The development comes days after a report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over decisions and orders concerning SIR.

According to the report, the objections related to decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge or against their recommendations. The issues included changes to Form 6 and the management of electoral-roll data.

Congress leader and former minister Chaudhary Lal Singh said that protests were being held across the country against the Election Commission over what he described as irregularities in the electoral process.

Demonstrations are taking place everywhere, statewide and nationwide, wherever there is an Election Commission office, he said, alleging that the poll panel had acted in collusion with the government and that people's right to vote had been misused.

Heavy police deployment remained in place around the Election Commission office to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.

The protest was part of the Congress' nationwide campaign against Kumar. The party has asked its state units to hold marches to State Election Commission offices on September 25.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar