The controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continues to escalate, with pressure for his dismissal mounting from all quarters.
The first move this time was made by Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, who held a press conference to attack the Chief Election Commissioner, even suggesting that he turn “approver” (state witness) in the matter of what he called ‘”vote chori”, following reports that the other two Election Commissioners had reservations about voter list revision and addition of new voters.
Opposition Huddle By Month-End If parties like the DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, BRS, and Biju Janata Dal also agree to join, this gathering could be termed a full-fledged Opposition meeting, similar to those held during parliamentary sessions. The issue appears to have brought the Opposition together, temporarily sealing the internal rifts. Talks appear to have started between Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the CPM – parties that have been arch-rivals in West Bengal. The meeting could also address the number of Bangladeshi nationals apprehended and subsequently repatriated following the SIR (Systematic Identification of Voters) exercise. If the INDIA bloc- or the Opposition parties collectively – decides to launch a nationwide agitation regarding the SIR process and the demand to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, the united Opposition could mount a highly impactful movement. This is the Opposition’s perspective, as they believe that the manner in which the SIR process was implemented – specifically how names were deleted from the rolls – was a primary reason for their electoral defeats in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Bengal, and Delhi.
Additionally, the Opposition might demand that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections be conducted using the existing voter lists. The party argues that the Chief Election Commissioner made openly illegal and unconstitutional changes to Form 6, making it nearly impossible for young voters to register their names on the electoral roll.
