New Delhi, September 30 (Daily Kiran) : Former Union Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram sharply criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the voter list. He claimed that there are serious concerns and disagreements within the commission regarding this procedure.
Speaking to reporters, Chidambaram stated, “The Election Commission is entirely wrong. Both election commissioners have expressed doubts about the SIR process, highlighting disagreements on 14 issues between the commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.”
He pointed to alleged errors in the SIR process in several states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana. “Numerous mistakes have been reported in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana. Previous errors have also surfaced. There are significant flaws in the SIR process. If there were no issues, why did the Election Commission need to convene again to modify the process? What happened a few days ago should be completely annulled,” he asserted.
Reports of internal disagreements within the three-member Election Commission regarding certain aspects of the SIR process have sparked political controversy. According to reports, election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections on multiple issues over a ten-month period.
However, the Election Commission has claimed that the final decisions regarding the SIR exercise were made unanimously, and the comments raised during the process were part of its deliberation.
Meanwhile, the ‘India Block’ will hold a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the controversies surrounding the Election Commission and to devise a joint strategy regarding the SIR process. The meeting will also consider plans for nationwide protests, including demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Discussions may include a motion for impeachment against him in Parliament.
This meeting follows the Congress Working Committee’s adoption of a resolution demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Kumar and expressing concerns over the commission’s functioning.
Expected participants in the meeting include Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi, along with Mamata Banerjee of the All India Trinamool Congress, MP Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, and Derek O’Brien. Leaders from leftist parties are also likely to attend.
Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, Supriya Sule of the NCP-SP, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, and Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP may also be present. Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT) is expected to join virtually, while Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party is unlikely to attend, with senior leader Harendra Malik representing the party.
Leave a Comment