Hans News Service Amalapuram

TheCongress has organised a large-scale dharna in Amalapuram, headquarters of Konaseema district, on Wednesday demanding immediate resignation and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and restoration of voter names allegedly deleted from the rolls. Congress Working Committee member and former APCC president Gidugu Rudra Raju, who participated in the protest, alleged that the Election Commission had compromised the sanctity of the electoral process and demanded that the CEC face legal action if violations were established. The Congress has been intensifying its protests over the SIR and its functioning.

Rudra Raju said the party had three immediate demands: resignation of Gyanesh Kumar as CEC, suspension of the SIR process and restoration of the names of around 13 crore voters, whom the Congress alleges were illegally deleted from electoral rolls. He alleged that important decisions relating to electoral rolls were being taken arbitrarily and claimed that the CEC had acted without the approval of the other Election Commissioners on several occasions.

Referring to reports about objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, he alleged that their concerns related to voter inclusions and deletions, changes in statutory forms and other decisions concerning the electoral database. Reports have also emerged about differences within the Election Commission over aspects of the SIR process, while the Commission has maintained that its decisions were taken according to the applicable procedure.

Rudra Raju alleged that the changes made to Form 6, used for applications seeking inclusion of names in electoral rolls, required scrutiny and accountability. He said the Congress would continue its agitation until what it described as irregularities in the electoral roll revision process were addressed.

He also criticised the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, particularly the changes to the selection committee and the legal protection provided to Election Commission members for official acts. He alleged that these provisions had weakened institutional safeguards. The Congress has previously raised similar objections in its campaign against the CEC.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s earlier campaign on alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, Rudra Raju said the Congress had repeatedly raised concerns over voter deletions and additions and had sought greater transparency in the electoral database. He alleged that the party’s concerns had gained importance following reports about objections raised by the two Election Commissioners.

Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district Congress president Kothuri Srinivas said the agitation was organised following the directions of the AICC and PCC. He said the Congress would continue to raise the issue of voter rights and electoral roll transparency.

Amalapuram town Congress president Vonteddu Bobby, AICC secretary Janga Gowtham, AICC member Yarlagadda Ravindra, senior leader Mushini Ramakrishna Rao and several other party leaders and workers participated inthe dharna.