New Delhi, 29 September (H.S.): Following a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the Congress on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for the immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party also demanded the immediate restoration of the 133 million names it claims have been removed from the electoral rolls. The Congress additionally called for the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress’s new headquarters, Indira Bhavan, after the CWC meeting, Congress general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal said the meeting lasted around two-and-a-half hours and focused on the Chief Election Commissioner and issues concerning the electoral system. He said the entire CWC had endorsed the issues being raised by Rahul Gandhi through his “Vote Chori” campaign.

Venugopal said the Congress was demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He said serious questions had been raised over the transparency and constitutional validity of the electoral rolls being prepared through the SIR exercise and, therefore, the process should be suspended immediately. The party also demanded the restoration of the 133 million names it claims have been deleted from the electoral rolls.

He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were interfering in the electoral process and said this was the basis for the Congress’s demand for the Prime Minister’s resignation. Venugopal said the Congress would organise peaceful demonstrations and protests across the country over the issue. He claimed that Congress workers had staged demonstrations in around 800 districts on Monday and that senior party leaders had also taken to the streets.

Venugopal said the Congress would take the figures relating to deletions from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise to people at the grassroots level. He said the party would undertake a systematic campaign to raise awareness about the issue.

Jairam Ramesh said Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had raised several key issues at the CWC meeting. He said disclosures relating to alleged “vote theft” were emerging as a result of the Congress’s efforts and that Gandhi had been raising the issue for the past two years. Ramesh said Gandhi had brought information concerning the Mahadevapura election in Karnataka, as well as elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, before the public. He alleged that elections being conducted in the country were not free and fair.

Ramesh also alleged that laws passed and legislation enacted in connection with what he described as “vote theft” were unlawful. He said Gandhi had made it clear that the Congress’s political strategy would not be confined to opposition, but would also involve resistance. According to Ramesh, the Congress would continue its opposition inside Parliament as well as its protests on the streets.

Amid these allegations, the Election Commission of India has said that suggestions or differing views expressed by its members are part of normal institutional functioning and that decisions are taken in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

The Election Commission’s official records identify Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner of India. The spellings of K. C. Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh have also been retained in accordance with official Election Commission records.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar