Cong activists protest, demand CEC’s resignation, arrest

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Sept 28: Demanding resignation and arrest of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress held strong protest demonstration across the UT of Jammu and Kashmir today.

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A large number of Congress leaders and workers gathered at Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu and started raising slogans against the Election Commission and Modi Government. They were carrying placards in hands and raising loud slogans in support of their demand. Then they started march towards the DC office on Wazarat Road, but were stopped by police amid heavy deployment.

Former minister and DCC Jammu Urban president, Yogesh Sawhney, who led the protest, demanded that decisions and orders taken during Kumar’s tenure as CEC be withdrawn and called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation, holding the Government accountable over the issue.

“We have four demands today. First, we want Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Second, the CEC should be jailed. Third, all decisions taken during his tenure should be withdrawn. Fourth, those behind these moves should also resign,” Sawhney said.

Addressing the protesters, JKPCC working president, Raman Bhalla said the Election Commission must uphold its constitutional responsibility and ensure transparency in the electoral process. He said allegations about the integrity of elections could not be ignored and urged authorities to address the concerns raised by the opposition and the public through a transparent, credible process.

The protesters carried a symbolic handcuff and a poster depicting the CEC while raising slogans demanding his arrest. Bhalla said the Congress would continue its agitation until its demands were addressed.

The Congress activists staged similar protests in Poonch, Udhampur, and several other pl;aces where the party raised concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and demanded accountability over the alleged electoral irregularities.

In Poonch, scores of Congress workers marched towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office and protested against the CEC.

Several senior leaders Mula Ram, Neeraj Kundan, Kanta Bhan, T S Tony, Ajay Lakhotra, Satish Sharma and others joined the protest.

Similar protests were held at Udhampur, Kishtwar, Doda, Poonch, Samba and other places. Scores of Congress workers at these places took out a march towards the Deputy Commissioner’s offices and held a demonstration against the CEC.

In Kathua, former MP, Ch Lal Singh, accompanied by senior leaders- Th Hari Singh Chib and Pankaj Dogra took out a strong protest march.

Former DyCM and JKPCC working president, Tara Chand was leading protest at Khour. DDC chief, Poonch, Shahnawaz Choudhary led the Congress workers in Poonch while, Th Balbir Singh and DDC president Sumeet Magotra at Udhampur.

In Srinagar, Baramulla and Ganderbal also similar protests were held by the Congress activists. They were also demanding resignation of the CEC and legal action against him.

Senior AICC leader Pawan Khera (MP) was leading the protest in Srinagar besides DCC Srinagar, Dr Audil Farooq Mir. Khera addressed the gathering demanding removal of Gyanesh Kumar and registration of FIR against him.

It is pertinent to mention here that the protest demanding the CEC’s resignation came after an Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions and orders they said were issued without their knowledge. The objections included changes to statutory voter registration Form 6 and the centralisation of control over the electoral roll database, according to the report.