NEW DELHI:
The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday decided to launch nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Addressing reporters after the CWC meeting, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that the SIR exercise was aimed at depriving voters of their democratic rights. He also alleged irregularities involving electoral rolls and EVMs.
The Congress demanded immediate suspension of the SIR exercise and restoration of the names of 1.33 crore voters it claimed had been illegally removed from the electoral rolls.
Venugopal said the party would protest both in Parliament and on the streets. A meeting of INDIA bloc parties is scheduled to discuss and finalise a wider protest programme. The allegations were made by the Congress and do not represent an independent finding by the Election Commission.