Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 23 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Om Prakash Singh on Wednesday demanded the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, saying allegations against the Election Commission are serious and stressing that the poll body must remain impartial to ensure free and fair elections.
This comes after a report by the Indian Express that said that decisions taken on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process were objected to by two of the three Election Commissioners.
According to the report, “Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions taken and orders issued without their knowledge.”
Speaking to reporters in Lucknow here, Singh said, “Election Commission is not impartial, then no election in the country and the world can be fair. Today, the Election Commission itself has come under scrutiny. The Election Commission has faced allegations many times, but allegations from people associated with the Election Commission itself are a very serious matter.”
Singh said democracy rests on key institutions, including the legislature, executive, judiciary, journalism and the Election Commission, and stressed that the poll body must remain independent.
“If there is even a little shame and responsibility towards the post and the institution, then the Election Commissioner should resign immediately,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi questioned the commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar, saying that “vote chori” is a “crime against the Indian people” and an attack on the Constitution.
In a post shared on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served.”
In a video shared by him, Gandhi addressed the Election Commission and election officials, saying, “I am clearly telling the Election Commission and election officers: What you are doing is wrong. This is treason; it is against the nation. Do not forget this. The time will come! We will catch you! You will not be spared.”
The rhetoric against the commission and the CEC in particular was also echoed by AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal, Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI-M MP John Brittas and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav.
All opposition parties in unison have called for the removal of the CEC, alleging that the commission was attempting to hijack the electoral process and putting democracy under threat.
Meanwhile, reacting to Congress leader Imran Masood’s remarks on SP and alliance issues, Om Prakash Singh said the decision on alliances would be taken by the national leadership, while advising Masood to “remain within his limits”.
“Imran Masood is not the Congress high command. He should think about how many elections he has won and lost before making such statements,” Singh said.
On the upcoming Assembly elections and alliance discussions, Singh said, “The national leadership will decide.” (ANI)
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