Repeal all Assembly polls over last 2 years: Oppn to Murmu

New Delhi: INDIA bloc leaders on Friday met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a memorandum outlining four demands, as the opposition intensified its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In the memorandum submitted to the President, the opposition demanded: CEC’s resignation, scrapping of assembly elections held over the last two years, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots.

“We urge you to take cognisance of this grave situation and use your good offices to ensure that the following demands are addressed without delay,” the memorandum read, listing four demands, including the restoration of 13.30 crore voters allegedly deleted from electoral rolls.

The memorandum added: “We approach you because, in moments when every other door has been closed, the people of India look to the Office of the President as the final guardian of that covenant...”

After meeting Murmu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he had expected the President to deny that vote theft was taking place but was surprised by her response. “I expected President to deny that ‘vote chori’ is taking place; I was shocked, stunned that she accepted what we said,” Rahul said. He also announced that Opposition leaders would approach the Supreme Court on Monday.

“We will go to Supreme Court on Monday to meet Chief Justice of India and hand over memorandum to him,” he said. The delegation included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and leaders from other INDIA bloc parties.

Earlier, Opposition MPs marched from Parliament House towards Vijay Chowk carrying a “Save Democracy” banner but were stopped by police barricades. The latest action follows several days of protests against Gyanesh Kumar.

While a group of 10 leaders eventually went in for the meeting, the others held a sit-in at Kartavya Path on the route, holding “Gyanesh, it’s done bro!” placards and raising slogans alleging “vote chori” and “collusion” between the EC and the BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The march followed a meeting of around 150 MPs and other leaders of the INDIA bloc in the Central Hall of Parliament, where 16 leaders from 16 different parties signed the memorandum for the President, raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (EC).

At the meeting, Gandhi said the Opposition’s demonstrations over the past few days have “shaken the foundation of the government”.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of acting out of fear, while referring to the closure of metro stations and cancellation of train services in light of the Jantar Mantar protest call.

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The Hans India