'If he has any sense of shame, Gyanesh Kumar must quit': Jairam Ramesh
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh calls for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation following Supreme Court judge's remarks on voter disenfranchisement.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has intensified his attack on the Election Commission of India, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The demand follows scathing remarks made by Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan regarding the arbitrary disenfranchisement of voters.
Ramesh, taking to the social media platform X, alleged that the CEC has become a "liability for the country." He further claimed that the poll chief has been busy executing "illegal orders" from the central government.
Justice Bhuyan's 'Arbitrary' Remarks Spark Outrage
The political firestorm was ignited by Justice Ujjal Bhuyan during his address at the 19th NALSAR BRS Moot Court Competition in Hyderabad. The apex court judge spoke forcefully against any procedural mechanism that strips citizens of their fundamental right to vote.
"If any process results in disenfranchising millions and millions of Indian citizens, making them second-class citizens in their own country in the sense of being citizens without voting rights, such a process is intrinsically arbitrary. No amount of whataboutery can justify it. It strikes at the very heart of the Constitution," Justice Bhuyan stated.
Ramesh seized upon these words, claiming that the judge had "exposed the CEC lock, stock and barrel."
Youth Congress Takes to the Streets
The controversy has moved beyond rhetoric into active street protests. On Sunday, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) organized a protest march from Raisina Road toward Jantar Mantar to demand the CEC's exit. The march, led by IYC National President Uday Bhanu Chib, saw hundreds of workers carrying placards and shouting slogans against the government.
Chib accused the central leadership of shielding the CEC and criticized the Delhi Police for preventing the demonstrators from reaching their designated protest site.
"The question is that we are going to Jantar Mantar... But we are not being allowed because Modi and Shah have to save Gyanesh," Chib told reporters. He added that the protesters would not be deterred, stating, "If they try to stop us here, we will sit down right there."
Internal Dissent Within the Election Commission?
The calls for resignation come amid reports suggesting internal friction within the Election Commission of India (ECI). A report by The Indian Express indicated that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over a ten-month period. These objections reportedly concerned:
- Decisions regarding electoral rolls
- Voter registration processes
- The Commission's technology systems
While the opposition views this as evidence of institutional breakdown, the ECI has dismissed the claims. The poll panel maintained that the queries and suggestions raised by the commissioners were part of the standard administrative and decision-making process during the draft stages. The Commission further asserted that all decisions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise were unanimous.