Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 25 — AICC General Secretary and Organising Secretary, K.C. Venugopal, on Friday demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying his resignation was not the need of the hour, as reports of serious differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its decisions and processes triggered a fresh political confrontation.
Venugopal said the issue would be discussed by the Congress Working Committee at a meeting to be convened next week.
He also said a meeting of the INDIA Bloc would be held to discuss the developments surrounding the Election Commission.
The remarks came against the backdrop of investigative media reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections internally to decisions and processes of the poll panel over the past 10 months.
The three-member Election Commission is headed by the Chief Election Commissioner, who is first among equals rather than the senior most member, with decisions expected to be taken unanimously as far as possible.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Congress leaders and workers marched towards the Lok Bhavan on Friday demanding the immediate removal of Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest was part of the Congress' campaign against the functioning of the Election Commission, with the party demanding action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over what it described as serious violations of the principles governing the poll panel.
The controversy has centred particularly on the functioning of the Commission during electoral-roll revision exercises, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
CPI(M) leader and former Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, also attacked Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the credibility of the Election Commission, an institution responsible for ensuring free and fair elections, was being seriously undermined.
Vijayan alleged that the CEC had overridden legal opinions recorded by the other two Election Commissioners and had undermined the collective functioning of the Commission.
He also alleged that non-transparent decisions were being imposed in electoral-roll revision exercises such as SIR and Special Summary Revision, and demanded Kumar's immediate removal.
Vijayan called for the revision processes to be stopped and for the voting rights of those allegedly excluded unfairly from the electoral rolls to be restored.
He urged democratic forces to participate in nationwide protests scheduled from September 26 to October 2, describing them as a campaign to protect the Constitution and democratic institutions.