M K Stalin demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over SIR row

DMK president M K Stalin on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He also sought an independent inquiry into the functioning of the Election Commission and action against those found responsible for any wrongdoing.

Stalin said recent reports about objections raised within the three-member Election Commission had intensified concerns over the functioning of the poll panel. An Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on 14 occasions over 10 months regarding decisions they said were taken without their knowledge.

The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion of an internal breakdown, saying written notes, differing views and internal checks are part of its normal decision-making process and that decisions, including those related to SIR, had the approval of all three commissioners.

Stalin alleged that the reported developments raised questions about possible political interference in the poll panel. He reiterated the DMK's opposition to the deletion of large numbers of names from electoral rolls through the SIR exercise and claimed that the process had led to unrest, particularly in West Bengal. He also said the reported findings had raised questions about the conduct of Assembly elections held after the exercise.

with inputs from PTI