The INDIA bloc's planned rally centers on demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. In response, Union minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized that Kumar was elevated to the top post in 2025 and did not oversee the 2024 general election as CEC. Rijiju also defended the voter list revisions by questioning if relocated persons, deceased individuals, and illegal immigrants should remain registered. The unrest follows media reports revealing internal dissent, where two Election Commissioners previously raised 14 objections regarding decisions executed without their knowledge.
Key points
The ruling administration is defending the electoral revision process as necessary for pu…: The ruling administration is defending the electoral revision process as necessary for purging invalid and deceased names from voter rolls.
Government ministers are pointing to the Congress party's past electoral victories and de…: Government ministers are pointing to the Congress party's past electoral victories and defeats to counter claims of systemic poll panel bias.
The Election Commission maintains that internal member disagreements are normal and that…: The Election Commission maintains that internal member disagreements are normal and that all contested decisions were ultimately finalized unanimously.
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NEW DELHI: Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday posed five questions to the Congress, a day before the opposition INDIA bloc's rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to seek the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls."I challenge the Congress party to answer these basic questions," he posted on X.
Rijiju first question was how the Congress managed to win just 44 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, despite the polls being conducted by an Election Commission whose members were appointed under the then Congress-led UPA government.Also Read | From Minto Road to Ramlila Maidan: Rahul Gandhi announces INDIA bloc's November 1 march route; security uppedPointing out that Kumar was not the CEC during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, having been appointed to the EC only ahead of the polls and elevated to the top post in 2025, the minister questioned how the Congress still lost, marking its third consecutive Lok Sabha election defeat.The Congress-led opposition has repeatedly accused Kumar of manipulating elections in favour of the…
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