Opposition Election Commission Dispute
INDIA bloc parties plan meeting to address electoral roll revision and election commission dispute
Anonymous
Opposition INDIA bloc parties are expected to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to coordinate a response to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and reported disagreements within the Election Commission over the exercise. The CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML)-Liberation have called for the revision to be halted and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to be removed; opposition parties are preparing another removal notice, while Congress leaders plan to discuss their strategy. CPI(ML)-Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya urged that the meeting include all opposition parties and civil society, and criticized the handling of a recent protest against the CEC. The Election Commission has said internal differences are normal and that its decisions follow legal and statutory procedures.
Key Points
1
CPI(M) general secretary M. A. Baby wrote to INDIA bloc and other opposition leaders seeking a meeting, then spoke with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, who agreed that the developments called for coordinated action—bringing the parties, long-time rivals in West Bengal, together on the Election Commission issue.
2
The opposition’s proposed removal notice against CEC Gyanesh Kumar would be its third such attempt; sources said legal experts are expected to vet it before it is submitted in both Houses of Parliament.
3
The Congress Working Committee is scheduled to meet on September 29 to decide the party’s strategy on the Election Commission issue.
4
Before the latest mobilisation, 23 political parties and one independent MP had jointly approached the Chief Justice of India over the SIR process and other election-related issues.
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