AJP Calls for Investigation into Chief Election Commissioner Amid Allegations
AJP Demands Action Against Chief Election Commissioner
AJP press meet held in Guwahati on Thursday
Guwahati, Sept 24: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has called for an inquiry into the actions of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, urging President Droupadi Murmu to intervene following reports that two Election Commissioners expressed concerns about the poll panel's decisions on at least 14 occasions.
“We appeal to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, to investigate this issue. The President should consider removing him from his position. If necessary, we will send a formal letter to her. If this system remains unchanged, the democracy of our nation is at risk,” stated AJP general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan.
The AJP has raised concerns regarding the autonomy of the Election Commission, accusing Kumar of favoring the BJP. These claims are based on the party's assertions and have not been independently verified.
Bhuyan also advocated for a revision in the appointment process for Election Commission members, suggesting a return to the previous method that involved the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of the Opposition.
“In a democratic framework that was previously in place, the Election Commission should be appointed through that process. We demand the elimination of EVMs in favor of traditional ballot papers. The selection of the Election Commission should revert to the earlier three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, and the Opposition,” he emphasized.
The AJP further contended that the Assam Assembly elections conducted in April did not accurately represent the will of the people, attributing the results to the use of EVMs and the Election Commission's actions.
“The election outcomes we witnessed did not reflect the people's choice but were influenced by EVMs and the Election Commission. It was a conspiracy favoring the BJP,” Bhuyan claimed.
He accused the Election Commission of acting as an “agent” and questioned its integrity in the electoral process.
The party also scrutinized the BJP's defense of the Chief Election Commissioner, questioning whether the ruling party had effectively become his spokesperson.
“Is the BJP now acting as a spokesperson for Gyanesh Kumar? Instead of him addressing the concerns, the BJP is defending him. This raises questions about whether the BJP is manipulating the Election Commission,” the party remarked.
The AJP asserted that voting is a right belonging to the citizens, not to the Election Commission or any political entity.
“A vote is a citizen's legal right. If that right is compromised, what kind of democratic nation are we living in?” AJP leader Kunki Chowdhury questioned.
A recent investigative report published in a national daily revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over a span of 10 months to decisions made by the three-member poll panel led by Kumar, including during the nationwide rollout of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.