Kuldeep Rathore demands removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

AICC spokesperson Kuldeep Rathore on Friday demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging a lack of transparency in electoral roll revisions and accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of failing to address the Opposition’s concerns.

Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Rathore alleged that large-scale deletions of names from electoral rolls threatened democratic rights. He said every citizen had an equal right to vote and called on the Election Commission to clarify its concerns about adding and deleting voter names.

Rathore said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly raised the issue but alleged that authorities had not taken his concerns seriously. He also criticized the authorities for stopping Congress MPs and leaders from proceeding towards the Election Commission’s office in Delhi, saying elected representatives should be allowed to express their views peacefully.

Accusing the BJP-led Center of suppressing the Opposition’s voice and misusing investigative agencies, Rathore said the Congress was fighting to safeguard the Constitution and democratic institutions. He also called for the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister to resign on moral grounds.

On the possibility of irregularities in Himachal Pradesh’s electoral rolls, Rathore urged the Election Commission to clarify the situation. He said the Congress was holding protests at district and block levels across the state and would continue its campaign to protect voting rights.