Priyanka Gandhi calls for CEC’s resignation and removal of legal safeguards

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the removal of legal safeguards provided to election commissioners. Speaking to reporters in Malappuram on Saturday, the Wayanad MP alleged that the protections were introduced by the Bharatiya Janata Party government to shield the Election Commission from accountability. She said officials accused of illegal acts should be subject to criminal proceedings.

“Our immediate demand is that Gyanesh Kumar should resign,” Vadra said. She added that the INDIA bloc was united behind the demand and that its leaders agreed that the situation was illegal and unconstitutional. Vadra also alleged that the BJP government was protecting the Chief Election Commissioner.

She said that if an election commissioner committed serious offences against democracy, it would be difficult to do so without support from the political leadership. Her comments came in response to questions about reports of differences within the three-member Election Commission. The reported disagreements concern decisions and instructions relating to the revision of electoral rolls, the deletion and addition of names, changes to forms for new voters and access to voter data.

The Congress leader did not identify any specific decision as the basis for the reported differences in the material provided. Her remarks added to demands from opposition parties for changes to the legal framework governing the poll panel and for Kumar to leave office. The source also referred to protests in Delhi over the resignation demand, during which around 90 people were detained.