Uttam Kumar Reddy backs Rahul Gandhi’s campaign for voting rights

Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday backed Rahul Gandhi’s campaign for voting rights. He described the Congress leader’s efforts to protect every eligible citizen’s franchise as an important development in India’s democratic process.

In a statement, Uttam Kumar Reddy said public confidence in elections formed the foundation of democracy. He stressed that every eligible voter must have the opportunity to cast a ballot and receive fair treatment during vote counting.

The Minister also raised concerns about errors in electoral rolls, procedural transparency and alleged bias in the revision process. Consequently, he called for a transparent investigation and credible explanations from the Election Commission.

Uttam supports Rahul Gandhi’s campaign for voting rights

Referring to the INDIA bloc’s political mobilisation in Delhi, Uttam Kumar Reddy credited Rahul Gandhi with bringing opposition parties together over electoral accountability. He said Gandhi’s campaign for voting rights had brought attention to concerns surrounding the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Uttam recalled that Gandhi led thousands of INDIA bloc leaders, party workers and supporters towards the Supreme Court on October 12. The march protested alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise.

Subsequently, the opposition pursued a legal challenge over the disputed process. Uttam said the Supreme Court’s decision to seek responses from the Election Commission and its commissioners highlighted the importance of addressing those concerns. He maintained that questions about electoral procedures required transparent scrutiny and credible institutional responses.

INDIA bloc protests against Chief Election Commissioner

Uttam Kumar Reddy also referred to the INDIA bloc’s symbolic public impeachment proceeding against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 31. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the proceeding. Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge moved a resolution containing six allegations against the Chief Election Commissioner.

However, Uttam clarified that the exercise represented a political protest rather than a formal impeachment under constitutional procedures.

He also referred to the subsequent march and public rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. According to the Minister, these events demonstrated the opposition’s intention to raise electoral accountability concerns directly with the public.

Uttam linked the protests to broader questions about electoral transparency, voter confidence and the fairness of electoral roll revisions. He reiterated that the campaign for voting rights centred on protecting eligible voters and ensuring that electoral procedures remained transparent and accountable.