Sharmila’s ‘Delete CEC’s Vote’ Appeal

Andhra Cong chief urges Delhiites to seek deletion of CEC Gyanesh Kumar's name from electoral rolls

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Congress president Y S Sharmila on Saturday appealed to the people of Delhi to file Form 7 seeking the deletion of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's name from the electoral roll, saying this would make him understand the pain and anxiety of citizens whose names were allegedly deleted without their knowledge. Form 7 is a voter application form to object the proposed inclusion or deletion of an existing name in the Electoral Roll.

Criticising the alleged deletion of votes during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process by the poll body, Sharmila accused the "system" of undermining democratic rights and the sanctity of the electoral process. "In a pointed appeal to the people of Delhi, she (Sharmila) called upon them to file Form 7 seeking the deletion of CEC Gyanesh Kumar's vote."

"She said the move was intended to make the CEC understand the pain and anxiety experienced by citizens whose votes could be deleted without their knowledge," said a Congress release, quoting Sharmila.bTargeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, ‘Modi means Murderer of Democratic India'.

Meanwhile, the APCC president was stopped while driving herself from her residence to proceed to attend a protest organised against the alleged voter deletions under the SIR process.

Sharmila's protest was aimed at highlighting concerns over the electoral revision exercise and demanding accountability over allegations of wrongful voter deletions.She asserted that the right to vote is fundamental to democracy and that any process affecting voters' names must be transparent, fair and accountable.

Further, several Andhra Pradesh Congress leaders, including Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former APCC president G Rudra Raju and AICC Andhra Pradesh in-charge PV Mohan, were detained by the police on Saturday while attempting to take out a ‘Chalo Raj Bhavan’ march in Vijayawada against alleged irregularities in the SIR.

The protest, organised under the slogan ‘Vote Chori – Gaddi Chhodo’, was held at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada under the leadership of Raju.According to the Congress party, the protest was intended to create public awareness about alleged discrepancies in the SIR exercise and demand transparency in the preparation and revision of electoral rolls.

The opposition leaders sought the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.bAs part of the programme, the Congress leaders planned to march towards Raj Bhavan and submit a representation to the Governor, urging the authorities to ensure that eligible voters were not deprived of their voting rights.

However, the police stopped the procession, leading to tension at the protest venue. Raju and PV Mohan, along with several other party leaders, were taken into custody and shifted to a police station.

The Congress leaders criticised the police action, saying that they were being prevented from submitting their demands through a peaceful democratic protest.