Cong workers protest in Kolkata, reassert demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s ouster

Congress workers on Monday staged protests in Kolkata demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of “vote chori” during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections held earlier this year.

Hundreds of men and women participated in a rally stretching around 1 km from Lalit Great Eastern Hotel to Lok Bhavan in the central business district, raising slogans demanding Kumar’s removal.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers, and barricades were erected outside the governor’s residence, where the protesters concluded their march.

Congress workers also staged a sit-in outside Bidhan Bhavan, the headquarters of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC), over the same issue. The demonstrations affected vehicular movement along the busy CIT Road.

WBPCC president Subhankar Sarkar said the party would intensify its protests until Kumar resigned.

The demonstrations come amid growing opposition demands for the CEC’s resignation following a report by The Indian Express that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months, mostly concerning decisions and orders related to the SIR exercise.

The report has drawn scrutiny to disagreements within the Election Commission over aspects of the electoral roll revision process.

Responding to the objections raised by the two commissioners, the Election Commission maintained that differing views and observations were a normal part of deliberations within any institution. It also asserted that its orders had full legal sanction and followed established statutory procedures.

The Congress has continued to press for Kumar’s resignation, alleging irregularities in the electoral process.