The Punjab assembly on Friday passed a resolution demanding an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in the electoral process and voter lists under chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while expressing serious concern over complaints regarding the large-scale deletion of citizens’ names from electoral rolls and eligible voters being deprived of their voting rights.
Moved by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on the second day of the assembly session, the official resolution was unanimously passed by members present in the House in the absence of legislators of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Besides members of the treasury benches, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rebels Manpreet Singh Ayali and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member Nachhatar Pal and Independent legislator Rana Inder Pratap Singh were present in the House at the time.
Resolution's demands
According to the resolution, an impartial probe and fixing accountability regarding objections raised about the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) under Gyanesh Kumar and decisions related to voter lists were necessary in the interest of democracy.
The resolution demanded the establishment of an independent, impartial and credible investigative mechanism to inquire into alleged irregularities concerning the electoral process and voter lists so that the truth can come to light and accountability can be fixed.
“If concrete evidence of criminal violations emerges against any person during the investigation, criminal proceedings must be initiated against them as per the applicable law,” it said.
The resolution was passed amid the raging controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has triggered protests by opposition parties, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and civil society groups. A copy of the resolution will be sent to the President, the Prime Minister, and the CEC for appropriate further action.
Vote theft threat to democracy: Mann
Participating in the debate on the resolution, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said “vote chori” (theft) posed a serious threat to democracy and demanded strict action against those responsible for irregularities.
He accused the BJP of manipulating electoral rolls under the garb of the Election Commission by adding votes in its favour and deleting those of the Opposition, alleging that elections in Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana and Maharashtra had been won through vote theft.
“People used to elect the government earlier, but the central government is now deciding who will vote,” he said, claiming that 14 crore voters were removed from the electoral rolls across the country under the guise of SIR.
Questioning the mapping exercise undertaken during SIR, Mann asked where would people get documents to show whether they themselves or their parents were registered as voters in 2003 or earlier.
Mann also criticised the BJP-led central government over the functioning of central investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation, claiming that they come knocking at doors at the time of elections. “Cases get over after the elections. All seems okay now in West Bengal and Bihar. CBI and ED are now at our doorsteps,” he said.
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Earlier, while presenting the resolution, Cheema accused the BJP of depriving citizens of their right to vote. “In Delhi, the BJP came to power last year through vote theft,” he alleged during his address on the assembly floor, claiming that the revision of electoral rolls had raised serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
Supporting the resolution, Ayali, now with the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), demanded the CEC’s resignation, alleging that he was working to help the BJP win elections. AAP legislator Inderjit Kaur Mann targeted the BJP over alleged electoral irregularities, calling for the scrapping of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and a return to ballot papers. AAP MLA Amandeep Kaur also alleged that the BJP-led central government was using the poll body for political gains and demanded action against the CEC.
During the session, the chief minister also shared the status of canal-water utilisation in the state, stating that it had increased from 22% in 2022 to over 80%, with 14,000 km of pipelines laid to supply irrigation water to agricultural fields. The government plans to lay another 6,000 km of pipelines to expand the network, he said.
Mann said the expansion of canal irrigation was reducing dependence on groundwater and helping restore depleting reserves. Citing a Union government report, he claimed that Punjab’s groundwater table had risen by four metres.
“Canal water is like desi ghee for Punjab’s crops. Adequate canal irrigation reduces dependence on groundwater, improves productivity and makes farming more sustainable,” he said.