Election Commission’s credibility severely damaged, Gyanesh must resign: NC

Srinagar, Oct 9: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Friday strongly condemned the reported detentions of young people across the country ahead of INDIA block, CJP protest in Delhi against the Election Commission of India in New Delhi, police announcements in mosques asking people not to participate in the protest, cancellation of train services and measures to turn the national capital into a security forces cantonment. The party described these actions as contrary to democratic principles and the Constitution.
The party’s Additional General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said that the reality behind the BJP’s repeated electoral victories had now come to light before the people of the country. He said that 9.7 million voters were excluded from the electoral rolls in West Bengal ahead of the elections, which contributed to the defeat of Mamata Banerjee’s party, despite pre-election surveys and analyses indicating a likely victory for the Trinamool Congress.
Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said that the Election Commission had removed the names of 170 million voters across the country over the past several years, representing approximately 15 percent of the country’s population. He said the Commission was duty-bound to ensure that every eligible citizen who had attained the age of 18 was registered as a voter. However the Commission was acting contrary to this responsibility by deleting people’s names from the electoral rolls, a development he described as deeply unfortunate, alarming and a serious blow to democracy.
He said recent revelations concerning the Election Commission of India had raised serious questions about the institution’s credibility and that the matter was now also under consideration before the Supreme Court. Referring to the Supreme Court’s observations, Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said the Court had stated that it had no information regarding the permission for Form 6. He termed the matter serious, adding that falsely invoking the Supreme Court’s permission to benefit a particular political party was an issue of grave concern.
He said the circumstances demanded that the Chief Election Commissioner resign from office, arguing that the credibility of an institution entrusted with safeguarding the sanctity of democracy had been severely undermined.
Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan strongly condemned the reported detentions across the country aimed at thwarting the protest scheduled by the CJP in New Delhi on October 10. He also criticised the alleged intimidation of Muslims to prevent them from participating in the protest, the suspension of railway services, the closure of metro stations and measures to turn the national capital into a military cantonment.
He said the Constitution of India guaranteed every citizen the right to peaceful protest. However those in power were resorting to unconstitutional and undemocratic methods in an attempt to conceal their wrongdoings.
Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan also strongly condemned the police restrictions imposed in recent days on protests by opposition Members of Parliament and prominent leaders. He said that if elected representatives of the people were being subjected to such treatment, the plight of ordinary citizens could only be imagined.(KNS)