‘Restore public faith’: Jairam Ramesh demands end to SIR, resignation of Gyanesh Kumar

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging he acted on instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Ramesh also called for suspending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming the exercise disenfranchised nearly 14 crore Indians.

In a post on X, Ramesh criticized the national capital's security arrangements ahead of a youth-led protest, alleging the government was rattled by peaceful demonstrations against what he described as an attempt to undermine citizens’ constitutional right to vote under Article 326.

‘The nation’s capital has been turned into a fortress. Armed security personnel are all over the place,’ Ramesh wrote.

The Congress leader alleged that there was ‘incontrovertible evidence’ that Gyanesh Kumar followed the instructions of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister after being appointed CEC.

He also referred to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, alleging that Parliament passed the legislation in December 2023, when 145 Opposition MPs had been suspended.

Ramesh further accused Kumar of lying to the Supreme Court and said his resignation had become a ‘moral imperative’.

He maintained, however, that the CEC’s resignation would be only the first step toward restoring democratic institutions and safeguarding the country’s electoral system.

Calling for the suspension of the SIR exercise, Ramesh said the move was necessary to restore public confidence in the election process. He argued that protecting voting rights was essential to preserving democracy and fulfilling the aspirations of citizens, particularly the youth.

The allegations come amid heightened political tensions over the revision of electoral rolls and concerns raised by Opposition parties over the process. The claims made by Ramesh in his post have not been independently established in the statement.