Pics: Niranjan M N

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Sep 28: The Udupi district unit of the Congress staged a protest at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Manipal on Monday, September 28, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The protest was part of the Congress’s nationwide agitation against the CEC. The party has alleged irregularities in the SIR process and raised objections to legal provisions providing protection to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners in matters relating to their official duties.

A large number of Congress leaders and workers participated in the protest.

Addressing the gathering, Kishan Hegde Kolkebailu alleged that the BJP-led government had introduced provisions protecting the Election Commission from legal proceedings over its decisions. He criticised BJP MPs who supported the legislation and said the Congress would continue its agitation up to the gram panchayat level.

KPCC spokesperson Veronica Cornelio alleged that the centralisation of powers within the Election Commission had created confusion among the public. Referring to former chief election commissioner T N Seshan, she said the election commission under his leadership had focused on ensuring that eligible citizens were included in the electoral rolls. She also questioned the implementation of SIR in different states and called for greater scrutiny of the process.

M A Gaffoor, president of the Coastal Development Authority, alleged that the functioning of CEC Gyanesh Kumar had raised concerns among sections of the public. Recalling the tenure of T N Seshan, he said the election commission had an important role in protecting citizens’ constitutional right to vote. He also referred to the reduction of the voting age from 21 to 18 during the Rajiv Gandhi government and alleged that the present functioning of the Election Commission was weakening democratic institutions.

The protest comes amid ongoing legal and political scrutiny of the ECI’s SIR-related decisions. Petitions have been filed before the supreme court raising allegations about decisions taken during the SIR process, while the election commission has maintained that decisions concerning the revision of electoral rolls were taken collectively and in accordance with the law.

Former MLA Gopal Poojary, Congress leaders Prasadraj Kanchan, Harish Kini, Udupi Block Congress president Ramesh Kanchan and others were present on the occasion.