Karnataka CM Seeks President’s Intervention to Dissolve ECI
Shivakumar stated that to conduct a fair election in the ensuing elections to local bodies in November/December, electronic voting machines have been replaced by ballot papers.
Bengaluru: Over alleged unilateral decisions by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar with regard to deletion of voters’ in electoral rolls, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday wanted the intervention of President Droupadi Murmu to dissolve the Election Commission of India (ECI) over misuse of autonomous power given to the Commission.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar must be arrested over his unilateral decisions, demanded the Chief Minister and sought to declare all elections cancelled in which malpractices have come to the notice.
In a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Bengaluru, Shivakumar alleged ECI has been a puppet at the hands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling the country and stated “Persons who raise their voice against the system (BJP) are targeted (to delete their names in the rolls). ECI by colluding with BJP has indulged in vote thefts.”
He warned the CEC over reported people revolting against him and wanted the Union Government to convene a session to decide on removal of CEC as early as possible.
Reiterating his demand for a fresh Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls, the Chief Minister demanded scrapping the ongoing SIR in Karnataka.
Shivakumar stated that he will wait and watch before he arrives at a decision over deletion of about 1 crore voters in Karnataka in the SIT exercise.
Karnataka’s population stands at 7 crore and out of it, 5.54 are eligible voters and SIR exercise brought down the voters to 4.46 crore.
Besides, about 40 lakh voters have been slapped with notices by the office of Election Commissioner.
He asserted “We won’t allow denial of voting rights to eligible voters and voting is the fundamental right.” Shivakumar pointed to about 12 lakh votes deletion in the SIR exercise in Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat.
In the 2024 election, he said, Congress nominee Mansoor Khan was defeated by 31,000 votes against BJP nominee and sought answers from BJP leaders over drastic deletion of voters.
Shivakumar stated that to conduct a fair election in the ensuing elections to local bodies in November/December, electronic voting machines have been replaced by ballot papers.