Congress protests over SIR spread across states, leaders detained in Assam and Chandigarh
New Delhi, Sep 25 (PNS) Congress workers protested in several states on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision of electoral rolls. Police detained leaders in Assam and Chandigarh and used water cannons to stop marches in Chandigarh and Patna, according to PTI reports.
The demonstrations followed a report in The Indian Express about objections raised by two election commissioners to decisions concerning the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR. The Election Commission has said differing views are part of institutional deliberations and that its orders follow legal procedures.
In Delhi, Congress workers marched from the party's Rouse Avenue office towards the BJP headquarters and the Election Commission office, PTI reported. Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav demanded Kumar's resignation and an independent audit of the roll revision in the city.
Yadav alleged that the exercise had caused difficulties for residents of JJ clusters and unauthorised colonies seeking to meet documentation requirements. He claimed 47.6 lakh names had been deleted from Delhi's voter rolls and 31.6 lakh voters had received discrepancy notices. These figures are the party's claims and have not been independently verified.
India Today reported that Indian Youth Congress members demonstrated in Delhi and that Congress workers gathered at Jantar Mantar. Separately, PTI reported that the All India Students' Association held a citizens' protest at Jantar Mantar demanding Kumar's arrest. The AISA meeting was not a Congress event, though opposition figures attended it.
In Patna, Congress workers marched towards the poll panel's office, calling for Kumar to resign. A senior police officer told PTI that police used water cannons to prevent them from proceeding. Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram alleged that the Election Commission was acting on the government's directions. The allegation has not been established.
In Chandigarh, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring led a protest near the election office, PTI reported. Police used a water cannon after protesters tried to cross barricades, and detained several leaders and workers. The party demanded Kumar's dismissal and arrest.
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and other senior leaders were detained in Guwahati after attempting to cross police barricades, police told PTI. The party was marching from its Rajiv Bhawan headquarters towards the Chief Electoral Officer's office. Congress spokesperson Bedabrata Bora described the detentions as a forced arrest.
In Imphal, Congress members protested outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office at Lamphel and burnt effigies of Kumar, PTI reported. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse them. In Itanagar, Congress workers demonstrated near Nirvachan Bhawan, and officials reported no untoward incident.
India Today also reported Congress protests in Jammu, Dehradun, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Shimla and Hyderabad. Separately, Congress legislators protested against Kumar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, according to PTI. These locations should not be described as detention sites without further confirmation.
The protests followed The Indian Express report that commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over 10 months. The reported objections concerned decisions and orders they said had been issued without their knowledge, including matters relating to voter-list additions and deletions.
The Election Commission has said differing views and suggestions are normal within an institution. It has maintained that its orders have legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures. The allegations made at the protests remain contested.
(With inputs from PTI)
