SIR Row Explodes in Delhi: Protesters Demand Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation at Jantar Mantar; Police Deploys Water Cannons, Tear Gas
Thousands of protesters, activists, opposition members and student bodies are expected to gather in central Delhi's iconic Jantar Mantar grounds today to demand the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest is the latest escalation in growing scrutiny of the poll-governing body of the largest democracy in the world — long regarded as one of the country's most trusted independent institutions.
Political pressure group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will not be demonstrating in New Delhi today, according to a clarification posted on X earlier this week.
The group is, however, scheduled to hold a rally against Kumar in Mumbai on Friday, and plans to take the demonstrations nationwide in the coming days.
Visuals coming out of central Delhi showed heavy police and security deployment. Several entry points to the grounds have been barricaded, and authorities have imposed a prohibitory order under Indian law, according to news agency ANI.
Under this order, public meetings, assemblies of five or more people, processions, sloganeering, demonstrations and making speeches without permission are prohibited.
Incidentally, today is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, informally known as the "father of the nation." Gandhi is known for his non violent demonstrations, marches and hunger strikes, contributing to British India's freedom movement against colonial rule and ultimately leading to India's independence in 1947.
Why are people protesting?
Pressure on Kumar intensified in September after the Indian Express newspaper reported that two of the three election commissioners had formally raised concerns over aspects of the Special Intensive Revisions (SIR) at least 14 times over the past 10 months.
The objections relate to new voter registrations, deletion and restoration of voters in the rolls, filing of appeals against orders restoring voters in the SIR process and the custody and security of the entire electoral roll itself, the report said.
In one of the objections, Sandhu complained that the Election Commission acted against the written advice of two commissioners and claimed its action was "unauthorized and illegal."
The Election Commission had dismissed concerns of an internal rift, saying differing views were a "normal" part of deliberations and that all its actions were lawful.
Over 130 million Indian voters have been struck off the draft voters list across 30 states and union territories, the Indian Express report said, putting the ECI in the middle of a national debate over who votes and who doesn't.
How does this related to Narendra Modi's BJP?
The protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar are partially being viewed as renewed pressure on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
The reason behind it may not be immediately obvious since the Election Commission of India (ECI) is meant to be an independent body. But this might help:
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, along with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, comprise the Election Commission of India.
They are responsible for overseeing elections and related projects such as the SIR exercise, which is meant to remove redundancies in India's electoral rolls.
Opposition leaders and critics have argued that those struck off in the exercise include a heavy proportion of minority voters and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP is using it as a tool to secure future electoral wins. They have also accused ECI chief Kumar of doing the central government's bidding even though the institute is meant to maintain its independence.
The BJP has dismissed those claims, arguing that those removed largely involve dead voters and illegal infiltrators, thereby protecting India's democracy.
Moreover, a 2023 law introduced by the Modi government changed the way the ECI Chief was appointed, giving the government a greater say. Critics have questioned Kumar's credibility and ability to stay independent given the government's heavy role in his appointment.
Police deploys water cannons, tear gas at protest site
Protesters began arriving near the heavily barricaded grounds of Jantar Mantar in central Delhi early on Friday morning. DW reporters on the ground witnessed police detaining people, seemingly at random.
Around 11:15 a.m. local time (0545 GMT), a large rally led by the Students' Federation of India (SFI) reached the site. The SFI is a leftist students' body, which, along with others, has been demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's ouster.
Protesters clashed with the police as authorities tried to block the road leading to Jantar Mantar.
Water cannons and tear-gas shell launchers were deployed at the scene, although they have not yet been used.
Election body orders 'special drive' to enroll 'left out' voters
The Election Commission of India has directed 20 of India's states and union territories to conduct a "special drive" to enroll voters who were "left out" during the controversial revision of electoral rolls. The ECI posted the order, dated October 1, on X on Friday.
"Voter enrollment is a continuous process and any person not yet enrolled in the electoral roll or whose name has got deleted can apply for enrollment at any point of time. The objective of the special drive is to identify and facilitate such electors," the order said.
This comes amid increasing scrutiny of the controversial revision of polling lists and protests in central Delhi over the scale of voters deleted from electoral rolls. ALSO READ: ‘Hanuman Chalisa Gave Me Strength’: Captain Smit Machchhar Tells PM Modi About Flydubai Ordeal
