CEC Has Become a Puppet of Modi Government, Kharge Alleges at CWC Meet
Congress president raises concerns over voter roll revisions, Form 6 changes and demands greater transparency in the electoral process
New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has launched a strong attack on the Election Commission and the Narendra Modi government, alleging that the poll panel has come under government influence and that changes to electoral rolls are threatening voters’ rights.
Addressing the Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, September 29, Kharge accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting under the influence of the ruling government and called for his immediate removal. He also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on moral grounds over what the Congress describes as interference in the electoral process.
Kharge compared the alleged irregularities in voter lists with what he described as “vote demonetisation”, drawing a parallel with the 2016 demonetisation exercise. He alleged that changes to voter registration procedures, including Form 6, could affect the rights of eligible citizens to register and vote.
The Congress president also raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and reports of differences among Election Commissioners regarding the process. The Congress has alleged that decisions relating to additions and deletions from electoral rolls and the centralised management of voter data require greater transparency.
At the CWC meeting, the Congress put forward demands including full disclosure of changes made to electoral rolls, an opportunity for deleted voters to appeal, timely access to electoral data for recognised political parties and an independent, time bound inquiry into serious complaints of irregularities.
The party has also demanded safeguards to ensure that eligible voters are not removed from electoral rolls without adequate notice and an opportunity to challenge such decisions.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected reports suggesting that disagreements within the poll panel indicate a breakdown in its functioning. The Commission has said that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations and maintained that its orders have full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures. It has also stated that decisions relating to the SIR process were taken unanimously.
The controversy comes amid an ongoing political and legal debate over the revision of electoral rolls and the procedures used to verify voter eligibility in several states.
Kharge said the Congress would continue to raise the issue through constitutional and democratic means, arguing that protection of voting rights and transparency in the electoral process should remain central to the functioning of democracy.