Uddhav Thackeray seeks CEC Dnyanesh Kumar’s removal amid EC row

Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dnyanesh Kumar, alleging that two Election Commissioners (ECs) had raised concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and brought alleged irregularities to the attention of the Cabinet Secretary.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said opposition parties had for several years raised concerns over what he described as “invalid and anti-democratic” decisions of the Election Commission. He said the reported concerns raised by Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu made it necessary for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against the CEC.

“We all opposition parties have been raising our voice over the invalid and anti-democratic acts and decisions of the ECI for the last few years. Now the two Election Commissioners have raised their voice and also written to the Cabinet Secretary,” Thackeray said.

“Taking note of this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should immediately sack Dnyanesh Kumar. All opposition parties need to unite on this issue to ensure that the CEC is removed,” he added.

Thackeray thanked Joshi and Sandhu for their courage in raising concerns about the CEC. He alleged that Kumar was part of a “gang” and demanded that an alleged mastermind behind the matter be identified.

“We heard that Dnyanesh Kumar was operating on the instructions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and it needs to be probed,” Thackeray said.

He further alleged that the developments raised questions over the conduct of the Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Thackeray called for future elections to be conducted using ballot papers, saying the alleged revelations had reinforced opposition concerns about the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday refuted a news report that decisions taken on the contentious Special Intensive Regulation (SIR) process were objected to by two of the three poll commissioners, saying “internal checks-and-balances are standard” practice in a multi-member constitutional body.

“All actions of ECI have been in accordance with laws and instructions of the Commission,” the poll body said in a statement.

The poll body said its three members may have individual views, observations or suggestions during deliberations, but all final decisions of the poll body are taken unanimously.

It added that operational queries or inputs raised by commissioners at the draft stage should not be construed as final decisions.

“Differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution. They are a part of the decision-making process before a final decision is taken. Not only the three Commissioners, but every officer of the Commission is fully authorised to give his suggestions to the Commission for improving the electoral system,” the statement said.

The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the Election Commission, including on additions, deletion and restoration of voters and changes to the voter registration process.

The report that sparked a controversy said the two commissioners had raised questions over decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge and, in one instance, described a change concerning Form 6 for new voters as “unauthorised and illegal”. They also separately approached the Cabinet Secretary over changes in the oversight of the IT systems underpinning electoral rolls.