Hyderabad: Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises Minister Mohammed Azharuddin raised a CEC resignation demand on Monday over the Election Commission’s functioning.
Azharuddin demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He said the Election Commission of India must ensure transparency, impartiality and accountability in its functioning. He said these principles were necessary to protect citizens’ democratic and constitutional right to vote.
Azharuddin spoke after participating in a Congress protest rally against the Election Commission in Hyderabad. The demonstration formed part of the Congress’s nationwide campaign over the poll panel’s functioning.
The party also raised concerns over the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Azharuddin said the Congress had consistently questioned the Election Commission’s functioning. It had also sought greater transparency in electoral processes.
He alleged that Kumar’s actions had raised serious questions about the protection of citizens’ voting rights. “Every citizen has an equal and fundamental right to vote. The Election Commission must function in a manner that inspires confidence among citizens and all political parties. Transparency, impartiality and accountability are essential for the credibility of our democracy,” Azharuddin said.
CEC resignation demand follows concerns over poll panel
The Minister further criticised the functioning of the Election Commission. He said the concerns were not recent and had continued for a long period. “The work being done by the Election Commission is completely against the country and against the people. And this is not happening only now; it has been going on for a long time,” he said.
The CEC resignation demand was raised during the protest attended by senior Telangana Congress leaders. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka participated in the demonstration. Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and D. Sridhar Babu also joined the protest. Several other Congress leaders and party workers took part in the programme.