‘Arrest CEC’: Mamata Banerjee seeks repoll; alleges EVM hijacking, state-sponsored poll manipulation

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee talks on the EC issue virtually. PTI photo

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the EC, demanding the arrest and criminal prosecution of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

She also sought fresh Assembly polls in the state with the pre-SIR voter list and announced that leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc will launch a nationwide movement to “protect democracy”. Banerjee made the remarks in a Facebook Live, following The Indian Express investigation that revealed that two of the three election commissioners had formally objected, at least 14 times over the last 10 months, to decisions and orders linked to the SIR of electoral rolls.

Alleging “systemic voter deletion, EVM hijacking and state-sponsored poll manipulation”, she said millions of legitimate voters were disenfranchised in Bengal prior to the polls. “Today, the entire country is in turmoil over CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and my first demand is that he should be arrested and criminal proceedings should be initiated against him,” she said.

The TMC chief also said that the Opposition had moved an impeachment notice against the CEC earlier this year, but it was turned down in Parliament. “All parties are together in this battle. We submitted an impeachment notice against the CEC, but it was rejected… This is no longer merely about impeachment; criminal action is required.”