Raj Thackeray demands resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, scrapping EVMs

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), asserting that recent media revelations have conclusively exposed the complete erosion of the poll body's constitutional autonomy.

Citing an investigative media report, which revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded written dissent on at least 14 occasions over 10 months against steps taken by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Thackeray stated that the findings validate what opposition parties in Maharashtra have been alleging all along.

Thackeray, in his long post on X, alleged that the CEC did not act independently but was "compelled" to take arbitrary decisions to suit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He argued that the concept of an autonomous poll panel now exists solely in textbooks, alleging that under the current political dispensation, "autonomy" is defined as complete subservience to the ruling party. "The objections raised by Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi are too severe to be swept under the carpet. When two out of three commissioners are kept in the dark and sidelined, it proves that electoral rolls were manipulated at will," remarked Thackeray.

Highlighting specific instances from the report, Thackeray questioned how key directives regarding voter list software, modification of statutory forms, and mass legal appeals -- such as the 1.61 million appeals filed in West Bengal -- could be issued without the approval of the full commission. He also cited technical glitches in Goa that led to the disenfranchisement of 97 verified voters as evidence of deliberate centralisation and systemic manipulation.

Commending the two dissenting Election Commissioners for recording their objections on file, Thackeray urged all opposition parties across India to unite for a larger struggle. He declared that the battle against electoral irregularities must now expand into a nationwide movement demanding a return to paper ballots.

The MNS Chief has demanded an immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a high-level independent probe into the alleged "masterminds" directing ECI decisions, resignation of the current government on grounds of compromised election integrity and scraping of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in favour of traditional paper ballots for all upcoming elections.

"The Chief Election Commissioner ought to resign, certainly, but the government that came to power by leveraging such a spineless Election Commission should also step down. The fact that there were no celebrations on the streets following the election of a government claiming a majority mandate speaks volumes. This is precisely what I have been saying all along. Therefore, everyone must realise the ultimate truth that only if the Election Commission becomes truly autonomous, as it ought to be, can the ruling dispensation be brought down to earth; otherwise, this battle will be endless," he commented.

Responding to queries often posed by political commentators regarding high turnout at his rallies not translating into seats, Thackeray remarked that internal disclosures from within the ECI provide the definitive answer to "who steals the votes and how". He concluded with a warning that unless the Election Commission's neutrality is restored, democratic contests in the country will remain fundamentally compromised.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]