In the backdrop of the SIR issue, sources said that the opposition parties’ INDIA alliance will meet in Delhi on Sept. 30 to discuss the matter.
The meeting will take place amid growing coordination among the opposition parties in opposing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
A few days ago, an English newspaper reported that there had been sharp differences of opinion between Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over several decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list.
The report said that both election commissioners had registered their objections on issues including the wholesale deletion of voters’ names, changes made to Form 6 for new voter registration, and control over the centralization of voter data platforms, and that they had objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months, saying decisions were taken without their knowledge.
In response, the Election Commission said, “It is only natural for differing opinions to arise during official discussions; all orders of the Election Commission have full legal validity.”
Opposition parties raise the flag of protest: However, opposition parties including the Congress, which have raised the flag of protest alleging that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has engaged in an act of treason through the SIR, are demanding that he be immediately removed from office, arrested, and jailed; they also insist that a detailed, independent inquiry be conducted into the decisions he has taken. They are urging that the SIR exercise be stopped immediately. Nationwide protests have been launched by the Congress against Gyanesh Kumar.
Consultation on Sept. 30: With coordination among opposition parties having increased over the SIR issue, informed sources said that an INDIA alliance consultative meeting is set to be held in Delhi on Sept. 30.
Opposition parties are in touch with one another on the SIR issue; the meeting will discuss taking joint action on this matter, the sources said. Before the INDIA meeting, the Congress Working Committee will meet on Sept. 29 to deliberate.
Mamata spoke with Rahul: Meanwhile, speaking at a public meeting in Serampore, West Bengal, former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress founder Mamata Banerjee said, “I have told Rahul that the opposition parties should sit together, discuss the SIR process and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and decide on the next course of action. Accordingly, there is a possibility that an INDIA alliance meeting will be held in Delhi on Sept. 30,” she said.
Reports also say that Mamata spoke to Rahul over the phone and urged that an INDIA alliance meeting be arranged quickly.
Earlier, amid the current political developments, CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby had also written to opposition leaders urging them to hold an INDIA alliance meeting.
The above meeting is set to take place as the opposition parties are once again preparing to submit a notice to bring a resolution in Parliament to remove Gyanesh Kumar from office.
