Tura, Oct 15: More than 100 Congress workers took to the streets of Tura on Thursday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter roll irregularities and concerns surrounding the Election Commission’s functioning.
Led by former MLA and senior Congress leader Zenith Sangma, the rally was organised by the Meghalaya Congress and the West Garo Hills District Congress Committee (DCC). The protesters marched from Congress Bhavan towards the DC Office, Tura Market and the State Bank of India (SBI), raising slogans such as “Gyanesh Kumar resign karo!” and “Save Democracy, Save India!”
Heavy police security, including anti-riot personnel, was deployed along the route. Traffic diversions were also put in place to maintain law and order during the demonstration.
Addressing the protest, Sangma demanded the removal of Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that concerns over the Election Commission’s functioning had raised questions about democratic accountability.
“We demand the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. Even if he is not removed, on moral grounds, he should acknowledge these issues, resign and vacate the post,” Sangma said.
Citing reports published by The Indian Express and national news channels, he alleged that decisions had been taken by overruling the opinions of other members.
Sangma said the protest was intended to draw public attention to alleged irregularities, warning that remaining silent on such issues could harm India’s democratic standing.
He also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining the democratic foundations established by the country’s freedom fighters and Constitution-makers.
On the Election Commission’s Special Summary Revision (SIR) exercise, Sangma clarified that the Congress was not opposed to the process itself. He said similar exercises had been conducted in the past without comparable objections, but alleged that the current implementation had caused difficulties for lakhs of genuine citizens and voters.
“The SIR is a necessary routine exercise. Nobody objected to it earlier because it was conducted smoothly. However, this time, lakhs of genuine citizens and voters are facing difficulties due to the way this exercise is being conducted,” he said.
Sangma vowed that the Congress would continue its campaign if the CEC refused to step down. He also referred to a protest march organised by the Congress and INDIA bloc opposition parties to the Supreme Court, stressing the role of public participation in holding democratic institutions accountable.
“In a democratic system, ultimate power lies with the people. If we use this power wisely, we can bring about change and complete our work successfully,” he said.
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The post Resign and vacate post on moral grounds”: Zenith Sangma demands CEC’s ouster in Tura Congress rally appeared first on Hub News.