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Launching a sharp attack over alleged discrepancies in the SIR process, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on Thursday demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, asserting that opposition parties have decided to revive a notice previously submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman seeking his removal.
Reacting to an Indian Express report claiming that two Election Commissioners had objected to procedural deviations in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, Brittas alleged that changes made to Form 6 were illegal and part of a "diabolic game" to subvert the democratic process. "I had written a letter last July saying that whatever changes have been made with regard to Form 6 are illegal. It's against the notification of the Ministry of Law and Justice. And I had addressed this letter to Gyanesh Kumar and also the two Election Commissioners. I am happy to state that whatever I had written in the letter has been endorsed by the two Election Commissioners," Brittas said. The MP alleged that the modifications led to widespread discrepancies and voter disenfranchisement while concentrating decision-making power at the Centre. "Now, the mass deletion of voters and the so-called change that has happened with regard to Form 6, then tampering with the functioning of the Election Commission as such, taking away the powers of the Electoral Registration Officers, even the Chief Electoral Officer, and getting all the powers concentrated in Delhi, it shows that there was a diabolic game to subvert the democratic process of this country," Brittas said. Insisting that Kumar should not continue in his post, Brittas added, "Gyanesh Kumar has no right to continue in his position, and Opposition parties have decided to revive the notice that has been given to the Rajya Sabha Chairman for his removal." These remarks came after The Indian Express published a fresh media report stating that the Goa Chief Electoral Officer wrote to Delhi eight times in seven days, asking for that access to be enabled, but all in vain. This media report follows the earlier one, which revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR process. (ANI)
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