Panaji: Congress leader and AICC observer Yashomati Thakur on Friday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging large-scale irregularities in electoral rolls and claiming that the Election Commission was functioning under the influence of the ruling establishment.
Addressing a press conference in Goa, Thakur alleged that the inclusion and deletion of names from electoral rolls had undermined citizens’ constitutional right to vote and raised serious questions about the independence and accountability of the poll body.
Citing Maharashtra, she claimed that 39 lakh voters were added to the electoral rolls between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, which were held six months apart, while the state had witnessed an increase of only 32 lakh voters over five years.
“How did 39 lakh voters get added within six months when the increase over five years was 32 lakh? Where did these votes come from? The Election Commission must provide an explanation,” she said.
Referring to allegations raised by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Thakur cited alleged duplication of voters in Mahadevapura, Karnataka, and irregularities in electoral rolls in Maharashtra, Haryana, Aland and West Bengal.
She also referred to the controversy over voter lists in West Bengal, claiming that 39 lakh votes were identified as suspicious during proceedings before the Supreme Court, following which certain corrections were made.
Thakur further alleged that amendments made to Form 6, which is used for the inclusion of names in electoral rolls, were subsequently rectified, and claimed that the move indicated irregularities in the process.
She claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on 14 occasions over changes made to Form 6 without their knowledge, but their concerns were allegedly ignored.
“If there is corruption in the electoral process, those responsible must be questioned and held accountable. The Election Commission cannot remain beyond scrutiny,” she said.
Demanding Kumar’s resignation, Thakur alleged that the electoral process was being compromised and accused the BJP and the RSS of attempting to gain control over democratic institutions.
She said the Congress would intensify its “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” campaign in Goa through district-level events, booth-level outreach and door-to-door visits to educate voters about alleged electoral irregularities.
The party would also organise press conferences in every district and reach out to people at the booth level, she said, adding that the Congress would continue its agitation with the support of the INDIA bloc.
