CITU, AIKS demand removal of CEC
Trade unions and farmers’ bodies have launched a joint offensive against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his immediate removal over alleged irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that have purportedly disenfranchised millions of working-class citizens.
In separate statements issued on Friday, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) voiced grave concern over recent media disclosures. The reports revealed that two Election Commissioners had raised formal objections on at least 14 occasions over the past ten months regarding key decisions, including the centralisation of the electoral roll database, restricted access for field officers, and procedural decisions during the SIR process.
CITU General Secretary Elamaram Kareem accused the CEC of undermining universal adult franchise at the behest of the Central Government. He highlighted that the majority of those affected by the revisions are poor, marginalised, and seasonal migrant workers who are forced to forego daily earnings while attempting to re-enrol. CITU further warned against plans by certain State Governments to link access to welfare schemes and social security benefits under the new Labour Codes directly to voter identification, threatening to strip vulnerable populations of both their voting rights and welfare entitlements.
Echoing these concerns, AIKS President Dr Ashok Dhawale and General Secretary Vijoo Krishnan asserted that over 13 crore voters across 30 States and Union Territories have been arbitrarily removed from electoral rolls without transparency. They pointed out that small farmers and agricultural laborers face severe structural barriers due to rigid digital requirements, name spellings in vernacular scripts, and a lack of internet access.
Both organisations urged an immediate halt to the SIR drive, restoration of voting rights for all eligible citizens, and strict adherence to Supreme Court guidelines for appointing an independent selection panel for the Election Commission of India. Calling for legal scrutiny into the reported procedural lapses, they appealed to working people, peasants, and democratic citizens across the country to rise in defense of their constitutional rights.
