INDIA bloc set for Sept 30 meet over EC concerns

A political meeting between India bloc parties is expected to occur in Delhi on September 30, with discussions focusing on the Election Commission and related matters, sources inform PTI. This gathering arises due to a heated political dispute surrounding the Election Commission's operations and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for electoral rolls.

In a display of dissent, Congress workers have protested across multiple states, demanding the removal and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Demonstrations have taken place in several regions including Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Manipur, and West Bengal. These protests were triggered by an instruction from the All India Congress Committee urging state units to march to Election Commission offices and seek action against Kumar.

The opposition is also considering a motion in both Houses of Parliament to oust Kumar. Moreover, the Congress Working Committee is expected to address the issue during its meeting scheduled for September 29 in New Delhi. This political standoff has escalated following an Indian Express report alleging that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally protested against 14 decisions and orders concerning the SIR process between October 2021 and August 2022.

These objections centered on issues like changes to Form 6, modifications to electoral rolls, and centralized control over electoral roll data.

The Election Commission has dismissed these claims, stating that differing opinions, operational queries, and administrative feedback are inherent in the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body, and maintaining that all SIR decisions were made unanimously. The BJP has also rejected Congress allegations, defending the SIR process as legally sound and citing majority consensus in decision-making.

Protesters from Assam were detained by Assam Police in Guwahati, while in Manipur, tear gas was deployed following a confrontational demonstration. In Jammu and Kashmir, Congress MLAs staged protests inside the Legislative Assembly, and similar demonstrations were observed in Dehradun, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Kolkata, and other locations. Karnataka's Pradesh Congress Committee filed a police complaint against Kumar and BJP MLA Abhay Patil, alleging violations of voting rights and manipulation of electoral rolls.