New Delhi [India], October 6 : Ahead of the INDIA bloc march to the Election Commission on Tuesday, RJD MP Manoj Jha and CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar stepped up criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing the Supreme Court's recent observation that it had not approved modifications made to Form 6.
Jha said the Supreme Court's observation raised questions over the need for any further preparation and alleged that free and fair elections were not possible under Gyanesh Kumar's chairmanship.
“Yesterday, the Honourable Supreme Court said that we had not even approved Form 6. It also said that all unilateral decisions should be annulled. So, is there any preparation left?” Jha said.
“No election can be fair under their (Gyanesh Kumar) chairmanship,” he added.
Jha said the Opposition MPs were heading to the Election Commission to raise concerns over the functioning of the poll panel and called for restoring what he described as the “grand form” of Indian democracy.
“As we head towards the Election Commission today, the country has been reduced to a diminished state. We need to restore the grand form of our democracy,” he said.
CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar also targeted the CEC over the issue, alleging that the Election Commission had earlier claimed that the changes were made with the Supreme Court's permission.
“That observation is very serious because on 26th September the Election Commission issued a statement in which it was stated that the Supreme Court had ratified their position. It was with the permission of the Supreme Court only those changes were made effective,” Sandosh Kumar said.
He alleged that the Supreme Court's observation showed that Gyanesh Kumar had misled the country.
“But with yesterday's observation, one thing has become quite clear. Gyanesh Kumar was lying, and he was misleading the nation in the name of the Supreme Court. It's a very serious crime,” he said.
Sandosh Kumar further alleged that the Form 6 issue had become another charge against the CEC, apart from the Opposition's allegations of “vote chori”.
“One more charge against Gyanesh Kumar. Apart from vote chori, this has also become a very important issue. In fact, Chief Election Commissioner means 'Chor Election Commissioner',” he said.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made the observation about Form 6 while hearing a plea seeking suspension and prosecution of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
"Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let's be clear. When the record is produced, we would like to see who has modified," CJI Surya Kant observed during the hearing.
Opposition leaders and MPs are set to march towards Nirvachan Sadan, the headquarters of the Election Commission of India (ECI), in the national capital on Tuesday morning, as part of their ongoing protest over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and their demand for the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The march comes amid the Opposition's sustained campaign against alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls and its demand for greater transparency from the poll panel.
Leaders of several INDIA bloc parties will participate in the march and raise their concerns before the Election Commission (EC). The protest is part of a broader "Save Democracy" campaign announced by the Opposition, under which its leaders have been holding demonstrations and public programmes against the EC.
The march to Nirvachan Sadan is expected to further intensify the political confrontation between the Opposition and the poll panel over electoral roll-related issues.
The Supreme Court's observation gives the INDIA bloc a boost ahead of the march.