The Congress on Friday took its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to the streets, with party workers holding demonstrations across several states and demanding his resignation, removal and arrest.
Protests were reported in Delhi, Assam, Bihar, Jammu, Kolkata, Chandigarh and other parts of the country. In Patna, police used water cannons as Congress workers marched towards the Election Commission office, while Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi and several party leaders were detained during a demonstration in Guwahati.
Congress workers clash with barricades in Delhi
In Delhi, Congress workers attempted to march towards the Election Commission office, breaking through barricades as police tried to stop them. Several protesters were detained during the demonstration.
"Gyanesh Kumar must resign immediately. We are not going to let democracy be destroyed in India and sit silent, and the people responsible for this are going to be punished," Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said.
Earlier in the day, Indian Youth Congress workers staged a separate demonstration wearing masks bearing Kumar's face and with their hands bound in chains. They marched from the IYC office on Raisina Road towards the Election Commission headquarters, raising slogans and displaying posters demanding accountability from the CEC.
Gogoi detained during Assam protest
In Assam, Gogoi and other Congress leaders were detained after protesters attempted to cross police barricades during the march in Guwahati. The demonstration was held to demand Kumar's resignation.
Similar protests were organised by Congress units in several state capitals, including Kolkata, Chandigarh and Jammu, as the party stepped up its campaign over the Election Commission's handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Congress had asked its state units to hold marches to state election commission offices on September 25, seeking Kumar's arrest and removal and an independent review of decisions and electoral roll changes made under his tenure.
Protests follow report on internal ECI objections
The demonstrations came days after an Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and orders they said were issued without their knowledge.
The reported objections included changes to voter registration Form 6, the handling of additions and deletions from electoral rolls and concerns over centralised control of the electoral roll database.
The Election Commission has said differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations and maintained that its orders have full legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.
The poll panel also said all three commissioners, along with its officers, are authorised to offer suggestions aimed at improving the electoral system.
The Congress and other Opposition parties have since intensified their demands for Kumar's removal. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, called Kumar a "traitor" and demanded his resignation.