Uttam seeks Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

Hyderabad: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling for an impartial inquiry into reported internal objections within the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding electoral-roll management.

Speaking to media persons here, Uttam asserted that allegations surrounding voter registration, name deletions, and data control threaten the fundamental principles of democratic governance.

“When the referee is under suspicion, democracy itself is at risk,” he said, adding that public concerns regarding the Commission’s operations cannot be resolved through “slogans, denials or demands for ‘blind trust.’”

Uttam Kumar Reddy cited a media investigation reporting that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised at least 14 objections over a ten-month period. According to the report, these objections pertained to voter registration, the deletion and restoration of names, appeals processes, and overall electoral-roll management.

He said that the Congress would fight for the independence of the Election Commission under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Congress would not back down until every Indian’s right to vote is safeguarded.

Uttam said the Election Commission is not the BJP’s office and the voter list is not the Central covernment’s property. The vote is not the ruling party’s asset but a constitutional right of the people of the country.

Uttam said, “We will not tolerate the attempts being made to turn the Election Commission into a political tool for the BJP. Why was the Chief Justice of India (CJI) removed from the selection committee for Election Commissioners? The BJP ensured a majority in the committee by including a Union Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.” The Minister highlighted a specific incident in Goa, where Electoral Registration Officers reportedly cleared 97 eligible individuals for inclusion in the final voter list, but software limitations prevented their registration before the deadline, resulting in their exclusion.

“These are not peripheral administrative disputes. They concern who is included in the voters’ list, who can be removed from it and whether the statutory officers responsible for maintaining electoral rolls are able to perform their duties,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Venkateshwarlu Kolishetty

Venkateshwarlu Kolishetty