Chief minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday called for the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to be scrapped and restarted, and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying reported disagreements within the three member poll panel had cast doubt on the exercise.
Shivakumar’s comments followed a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months to decisions taken by the commission. The objections covered changes to Form 6, access to electoral roll data, deletion and restoration of voters and the filing of appeals in West Bengal.
The Indian Express reported that the two commissioners had, in some instances, described decisions as “unauthorised” and “illegal”.
Deep Dive
What are the main objections raised by Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi regarding the electoral roll revision?
Why does CM Shivakumar believe the current electoral roll revision process should be scrapped?
How has the controversy surrounding the Election Commission affected public trust in India's democratic process?
For Shivakumar, the issue goes beyond the disagreements within the commission. He said the electoral revision could affect citizens’ ability to retain their names on the rolls and exercise their franchise. “The right to vote is the right to live. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi have raised their voices in defence of the voting rights of the people of the country,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar questioned how decisions could be taken when two members of the commission had objected to them. “In the democratic system, two out of three members have expressed their disagreement. The right to vote, which is meant to protect every individual and their livelihood, has today been compromised,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar questioned how decisions could be taken when two members of the commission had objected to them. “In the democratic system, two out of three members have expressed their disagreement. The right to vote, which is meant to protect every individual and their livelihood, has today been compromised,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He said the CEC should step aside if dissenting views were being disregarded. “When the [dissenting] voices are not accepted and the majority decision has not been upheld, [CEC] can’t take decisions,” Shivakumar said, calling on Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
The chief minister also said Karnataka’s electoral rolls should first be finalised before the revision process proceeds further. He said he had already sought additional time from the Election Commission. “Let our voter list be finalised. After that, whatever way we have to raise our voice and fight on this issue, I will certainly continue to do so,” he said.
Shivakumar alleged that more than one crore names had been removed from Karnataka’s electoral rolls for different reasons. He questioned the use of Forms 6, 7 and 8 during the revision, saying the process could create particular difficulties for illiterate and disadvantaged citizens.
His demand is for the exercise to begin again rather than continue in its present form. “We want a new SIR to be conducted. We want everyone to have their rights,” he said, adding that the matter should be discussed at length, including in Parliament.
Shivakumar also linked the Karnataka dispute to objections raised by the Congress over electoral roll revisions in West Bengal, Bihar and other states. He said the concern was not about protecting the electoral prospects of one party. “We are not talking about Congress votes, BJP votes, or somebody else’s votes. It is the right to vote for everyone, and it is the right to live,” he said.
Shivakumar said the reported disagreements should be examined on a broader platform and objected to what he described as pressure or intimidation of officials in different states in the name of the Election Commission. “This is not merely a matter of opinion. It is a fundamental right. This is the voice of the common man,” he said.