CEC resignation, SIR rollback, ballot papers: Cong lists 3 ‘non-negotiable’ demands

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday outlined three demands that he described as “non-negotiable” in the party’s campaign against the Election Commission of India (ECI), including the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Kharge said the Congress wants the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls cancelled and elections to be conducted using ballot papers. He made the remarks as Congress workers and INDIA Bloc parties continued protests across several states over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise.

In a post on X, Kharge said the party’s three demands were Kumar’s resignation, cancellation of the SIR and the restoration of ballot-paper voting.

He said Congress workers and INDIA Bloc partners were protesting across the country on these issues and expressed support for civil society members and youth organisations taking up the demands in different parts of India.

Kharge also criticised the BJP over allegations of harassment involving women journalists during protests against the CEC in Delhi. He condemned the alleged conduct and accused the BJP of resorting to “distraction tactics”.

Three women journalists have filed complaints against Delhi Police personnel, alleging sexual misconduct while they were detained during Saturday’s protest at Jantar Mantar. Delhi Police said on Sunday that the complaints had been transferred to the Crime Branch for an “impartial” inquiry.

Meanwhile, an Opposition coalition led by Maharashtra leaders Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray held a ‘Garjana Morcha’ in Mumbai against the ECI. The demonstration drew criticism from the BJP and Shiv Sena, which accused the organisers of double standards and described the protest as a publicity stunt.

The protests come amid an escalating political confrontation between the Opposition and the poll panel over the SIR exercise and broader concerns raised by opposition parties about the conduct of elections.

With IANS inputs