Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad Says Protest Over Electoral Irregularities Will Continue Until CEC Gyanesh Kumar Is Removed

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad declared on Tuesday that the protest against alleged electoral irregularities and the alleged biased functioning of the Election Commission will persist until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is removed from office and arrested. The rally took place at Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai, organized by the ‘Aamhi Mumbaikar’ group, and aimed to protest what the organizers called "vote theft" and corruption within the Election Commission.

Hundreds of people attended the rally, where they collectively recited the Preamble to the Constitution.

Gaikwad highlighted that the Constitution guarantees voting rights to all citizens aged 18 and above, yet alleged that this right was now being jeopardized. She accused the Election Commission of failing to uphold its independence and claimed that recent years have seen its functioning favoring the ruling BJP. Gaikwad maintained that elections are vital to democracy and the Election Commission's responsibility is to ensure free and transparent elections.

She alleged that large numbers of voters belonging to certain communities and those who appear to support opposition parties are being removed from electoral rolls. Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Gaikwad alleged that the process was being "used as a weapon" and referenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's questions about the Election Commission's functioning.

Gaikwad emphasized that the Election Commission is an independent constitutional institution and warned that if it starts favoring the ruling party, the electoral process would lose its credibility.

The protest is part of a broader campaign against alleged irregularities in the electoral process and alleged partisan functioning of the Election Commission.