Left leaders accuse CEC of eroding electoral democracy through SIR demand his removal

     New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Left leaders on Saturday accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of undermining universal adult franchise through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, with CPI(M) MP John Brittas alleging that even elected representatives are being made to establish their eligibility to vote.

     The CEC has lost the moral and legal authority to remain in office, he asserted

     Speaking at the INDIA bloc's "public impeachment" programme here, Brittas said citizens who had exercised their franchise for decades are now finding their names deleted from electoral rolls, being summoned for hearings, and being told to prove their existence.

     The CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala said he himself had to attend two hearings to establish that he i`s an eligible voter. "This is the plight of an MP. If this is the situation of a public representative, what would be the condition of the common man?"

     He said universal adult franchise, a hard-won foundation of the republic, is being "hollowed out in the name of cleansing and purification".

     Brittas alleged that the SIR exercise is part of a wider pattern of decisions aimed at shrinking democratic space and concentrating power.

     Citing the abrogation of Article 370, implementation of Uniform Civil Code in states, anti-conversion laws, delimitation and the proposal for simultaneous elections, he said these measures are preparing the ground for permanent control.

     Referring to the Supreme Court's observations on the importance of an independent Election Commission for free and fair elections, he said the founding leaders had rejected the colonial argument that Indians were too poor and illiterate to exercise universal adult franchise.

     "Ambedkar said the vote is a tool to dismantle centuries of exclusion. It was a revolutionary act of trust in the common man. That is what is being deleted by Gyanesh Kumar at the behest of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi," he said.

     Drawing parallels with apartheid in South Africa and Nazi Germany, Brittas cautioned against allowing history to repeat itself. "We should not be the Germany of 1930," he said, adding that even those who remain silent are contributing to the situation.

     CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar said the country is witnessing a reversal of the democratic experiment undertaken during the very first general elections.

     Recalling the role of Sukumar Sen, India's first chief election commissioner, in conducting the polls, Kumar said Sen had described it as the biggest democratic experiment in human history. "Today, what we are witnessing is the reverse. In short, it can be termed as genocide of democracy."

     Alleging that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which he claimed had opposed the Constitution and universal adult franchise, is now controlling the government, Kumar said the SIR exercise has reversed the basic relationship between voters and the government.

     "In a democracy, people elect the government. In SIR, the reverse is happening -- the government is selecting the voters," he said.

     He said the protests against SIR are part of a wider struggle to protect democracy.

     Kumar also alleged that Muslims, young people and students are being portrayed as infiltrators and foreign agents.

     "Gyanesh Kumar must go," he asserted.

     CPI(ML) Liberation MP Sudama Prasad demanded Kumar be removed from office and arrested, and a sedition case be registered against him.

     Appealing to all political parties that believe in democracy to support the motion, Prasad alleged that the changes made to the appointment process for election commissioners through the 2023 legislation have given the Centre greater control over the selection panel.

     He claimed that the move to revise electoral rolls gathered momentum after the BJP secured fewer seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "The difference in votes between the INDIA bloc and the NDA was just two per cent."

     Prasad alleged that BJP's subsequent election victories in Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were used to project that Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to enjoy widespread popularity.

     Referring to Bihar, he claimed that between 10 and 40 per cent of voters' names were deleted in different constituencies and alleged that the exercise was designed to ensure BJP's victory.

     He also accused the BJP of wanting to govern the country according to the Manusmriti.

     AISA national president Neha Bora said young people are being denied their right to vote at a time when they are increasingly participating in political discussions and influencing the direction of national politics.

     She alleged that the SIR is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise young voters and destroy democracy.

     Raising concerns over the functioning of electoral registration officers (EROs), Bora alleged that their statutory authority is being overridden through the use of software to exclude eligible voters.

     "You have abused your public office and favoured one political party. You have destroyed democracy and the entire struggle for independence," she said, warning that Kumar would not just face impeachment but would also be sent behind bars.

     The public impeachment programme was organised by the INDIA bloc at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the proceedings, with Kharge moving the motion.

     The programme, initially planned for October 30, was postponed by a day due to rain.

     Opposition parties had earlier submitted notices seeking Kumar's removal in both Houses of Parliament, but the notices were rejected by the respective presiding officers.

     The public proceedings are part of INDIA bloc's campaign against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR of electoral.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)