“Shocking situation”: Shashi Tharoor alleges voters’ rights being denied amid SIR Row
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Congress Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has described the ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a “shocking situation”, alleging that citizens are being denied their democratic right to vote and calling for greater accountability in the electoral system.
Speaking to ANI on Monday, Tharoor said the right to vote was a fundamental part of India's democratic system and alleged that citizens were being deprived of that right.
Tharoor alleges bypassing of Election Commissioners
Tharoor alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had taken decisions without the involvement of the other two Election Commissioners.
“He (CEC Gyanesh Kumar) has taken decisions on 14 occasions that have bypassed the other two commissioners. He has unilaterally changed the software in such a way that the electoral officers don't have the right to even restore people who have been unjustly deleted. We are seeing irregularities left, right, and center,” Tharoor said.
The Congress has been protesting against the SIR exercise and has raised concerns over the electoral process.
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Congress, opposition parties to intensify protest
Tharoor said the Congress Working Committee would meet on September 29, while opposition parties were also preparing to raise the issue collectively.
He also claimed that the controversy had attracted international attention.
“The entire democratic world is looking at us and saying, what is going on in India? This is a shocking situation,” Tharoor said.
Tharoor also appealed to BJP leaders and voters to support the demand for what he described as an accountable electoral system.
“I would say that any genuinely committed Indian Democrat, even if he's a BJP member or a BJP voter, should be supporting our demand for an accountable electoral system so that once again the elections of India can be the pride of the nation,” he said.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, CPI, CPM, Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), have also called for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
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What triggered the latest controversy?
The row intensified after an Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and orders connected with the SIR process and other electoral matters.
The reported disagreements covered issues including Form 6, voter deletions and access to electoral-roll databases.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion that the objections amounted to institutional dissent over final decisions. The poll panel said operational queries, inputs and suggestions raised during the draft stage were part of its normal administrative and decision-making process.
The Commission has maintained that decisions, including those concerning the SIR exercise, were unanimous and had the approval of all three Election Commissioners.