Srinagar/Jammu: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday as Congress MLAs protested against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
As soon as the House proceedings began, the Congress members took to their feet and raised slogans against Kumar.
Congress MLAs Nizamuddin Bhat, Irfan Hafiz Lone, and Iftikhar Ahmad, shouted slogans against the CEC and displayed banners saying “Protect the vote, protect the democracy” and “No democracy without fair elections”.
“This is an attack on democracy,” Lone said.
Bhat urged Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather that the Congress MLAs be heard.
However, the Speaker disallowed them and asked them to take their seats.
As the Congress MLAs continued with the protest, and tried to storm into the well of the House, the Speaker warned them of action.
The members also demanded resignation and arrest of Kumar.
However, the Speaker told the protesting members that the Election Commission of India “is not in our control”.
Later, the Congress MLAs took their seats and the proceedings of the Question Hour continued.
Congress and other opposition parties have been protesting against the CEC after an Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions and orders they said were issued without their knowledge, even as the national rollout of the SIR was under the supervision of the full commission.
Their objections covered the manner in which the statutory voter registration Form 6 was amended, the handling of additions and deletions from voter lists, and centralised control over the electoral roll database, according to the report
Under fire over the red flags raised by two of its commissioners over the SIR process, the EC asserted on Wednesday that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
In a statement, the poll panel also said that not only the three commissioners, but every officer of the EC is fully authorised to give his suggestions to the commission for improving the electoral system.
Meanwhile, scores of Congress workers and leaders were detained Friday as the party staged a protest in Jammu demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Congress MP and AICC general secretary Dr Syed Naseer Hussain led the protest, with several senior party leaders, including former ministers and former legislators, participating in the demonstration.
The protesters raised slogans against Kumar and burnt his effigy while attempting to march towards the Election Commission office in Jammu.
A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary personnel was deployed around the office to prevent the protesters from proceeding. The protesters had brief scuffles with security personnel before several of them were detained, including the top leaders and taken away in buses.
“We have been detained in large numbers. They were taken away in buses. We demand the CEC’s resignation. That is why we held the protest here today,” former deputy chief minister Tara Chand told reporters.
Congress workers gathered outside the EC office and attempted to gherao the premises as part of the party’s nationwide protest demanding Kumar’s removal.
The Congress has also sought an independent review of decisions and electoral roll changes made under his tenure.
The development comes days after a report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over decisions and orders concerning SIR.
According to the report, the objections related to decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge or against their recommendations. The issues included changes to Form 6 and the management of electoral-roll data.
Congress leader and former minister Chaudhary Lal Singh said that protests were being held across the country against the Election Commission over what he described as irregularities in the electoral process.
“Demonstrations are taking place everywhere, statewide and nationwide, wherever there is an Election Commission office,” he said, alleging that the poll panel had acted in collusion with the government and that people’s right to vote had been misused.
Heavy police deployment remained in place around the Election Commission office to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.
The protest was part of the Congress’ nationwide campaign against Kumar. The party has asked its state units to hold marches to State Election Commission offices on September 25.
