Former Home Secretary calls for opposition boycott of elections until EC chief resigns
A former Home Secretary has urged the opposition to boycott elections until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar steps down, amid escalating tensions over the poll body's neutrality and its handling of electoral matters.
The Congress Working Committee met on September 29 to discuss what it describes as "internal differences" within the Election Commission. During the meeting, the CWC passed a resolution urging the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, restoration of over 13 crore voters deleted from the rolls following the SIR, and resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "vote theft". Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called for Kumar's immediate removal over alleged irregularities in the SIR process. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took a swipe at the BJP's suggestion of a Padma award for the CEC, sarcastically suggesting he deserved a Bharat Ratna for "delivering West Bengal to the BJP".
The Trinamool Congress is contemplating releasing audio recordings of its meetings with the Chief Election Commissioner to highlight how Kumar interacted with political parties during meetings with the poll panel. Protests have been held across various states demanding Kumar's resignation, as opposition parties intensify their criticism of the EC's functioning and leadership.
