New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday filed a police complaint against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi, amid the ongoing controversy over the Election Commission’s functioning and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Moitra approached the police station amid growing political criticism of the Election Commission following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions taken by the poll panel during the past 10 months.
Speaking to reporters outside the police station, Moitra alleged that the CEC and the Election Commission’s information technology system had bypassed local officials involved in maintaining electoral rolls. She alleged that the system was used to make changes to voter rolls without following the required process.
Mahua Moitra Raises Questions Over Electoral Roll Changes
The complaint comes a day after reports emerged about objections allegedly raised by Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi regarding various decisions connected with electoral rolls, including the SIR process.
According to reports, the two Election Commissioners had recorded objections at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months. The developments have triggered a fresh political dispute over the functioning of the three-member Election Commission.
Moitra has linked her complaint to these reported objections and raised questions about how electoral-roll changes were being authorised and implemented.
The allegations made by Moitra have not been independently established, and the Election Commission’s position on the specific criminal allegations in her complaint will be relevant to the matter.
Opposition Steps Up Attack On CEC
Moitra’s complaint comes amid a broader Opposition campaign targeting CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR controversy.
The Congress has announced plans for protest marches against Kumar and has demanded his removal and an independent review of decisions and electoral-roll changes made under his tenure. Other Opposition parties have also raised demands concerning the functioning of the Election Commission.
Separately, reports said Opposition parties were preparing to submit another notice in Parliament seeking Kumar’s removal from the post of Chief Election Commissioner.
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions of a split in its functioning, saying that individual observations or suggestions can arise during deliberations but final decisions are taken by the Commission.
Further details about the contents of Moitra’s police complaint and the police response are awaited.
