Left Parties Step Up Protests Over Deletion of 13 Cr Voters, Demand Removal of Gyanesh Kumar

Chennai:  Left parties intensified their agitations across Tamil Nadu on Thursday, demanding the immediate resignation or parliamentary impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the alleged disenfranchisement of 13 crore voters. Leading a demonstration near Washermanpet here, CPI(M) State Secretary P Shanmugam alleged that the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process is being weaponised to systematically delete targeted voters from the electoral rolls.

"Through the SIR process, the duty of the EC, which is to grant voting rights to all eligible citizens, ensure everyone votes freely, and conduct elections honestly and fairly-has been abandoned. Instead of fulfilling that duty, the Chief Election Commissioner is snatching away voting rights, denying the right to vote, and acting in favour of the BJP to fraudulently form the government. They have committed a massive betrayal against the people of India," he said.

"Therefore, the Chief Election Commissioner does not have the slightest moral right to remain in office for even a single minute, and he must be removed immediately."

CPI(M) Politburo member Vasuki, who participated in a protest at Nungambakkam here, outlined four core demands, including the CEC's removal, halting the SIR process, restoring deleted names, and reconstituting the EC Selection Committee.

"An Election Commission with the authority to protect rights has morphed into a commission that strips 13 crore people of their voting rights, betraying the fundamental democratic structure," she said.

She noted that the Left is approaching non-INDIA bloc parties like the Aam Aadmi Party to build broader resistance. "To oppose the Union government's abuse of power and the EC that supports it, and to protect democracy and voting rights, this protest must include all parties," she stated, alleging the EC's actions are part of a broader political agenda to establish a "Hindu Rashtra".

Addressing the gathering in K K Nagar, CPI State Secretary Veerapandian termed the CEC's actions a "murder of democracy," demanding accountability from the highest levels of the Union government.

"India is the world's largest parliamentary democracy... Today, the Union government has choked its life," Veerapandian said.

"The Prime Minister and Home Minister must take responsibility for this murder of democracy, and the CEC must resign for stripping 13 crore people of their right to vote through conspiracies".

CPI(ML) District Secretary N James, also protesting along with Veerapandian, highlighted that the CEC had allegedly ignored internal objections and acted unilaterally, violating Supreme Court guidelines.

"The CEC alone has acted unilaterally and removed the names of 13 crore voters. This is condemnable," James said, demanding a return to the previous selection system that included the Chief Justice of India.

The Left leaders also used the platform to sharply criticise major regional parties ahead of the Dharapuram and Madurantakam by-elections.

Veerapandian accused the DMK, AIADMK, and TVK of abandoning political discourse. "Comrades holding the red flag go door-to-door, looking at the faces of the poor and speaking politics," he alleged.

"On the other hand, [these parties] are surveying the borders, calculating how many people are in a house and how much money to give per vote... Dr Ambedkar said the ballot paper is the blood receipt of a long struggle, and pricing it is a crime," he added.