Left parties demand resignation of Chief Election Commissioner in Kakinada
Kakinada, Oct 2 (TNT): Left parties and opposition groups staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate here on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gnanesh Kumar.
The protest was led by CPM district committee member Duvva Seshu Babji.
CPI district secretary K Bodakonda, CPI(ML) district committee member Ch Nageswara Rao, Rythu Coolie Sangham district secretary V Rajababu, Congress district president Madepalli Satyanandarao, RPI state president Pitta Varaprasad and Aam Aadmi Party leader Thokala Varadarajan were among those who participated.
Addressing the protesters, the leaders alleged that constitutional rights had been undermined in the country over the past 12 years.
They accused the Election Commission, a constitutionally autonomous body, of acting at the behest of the BJP-led Union government instead of upholding the Constitution.
The protesters alleged that parliamentary legislation providing for a Union Cabinet minister in the selection process for election commissioners, in place of the Chief Justice of India, had weakened the electoral system.
They further claimed that the two other Election Commission members had expressed dissent on 14 occasions, while the Chief Election Commissioner had taken unilateral decisions, which they said undermined democratic principles.
The leaders also alleged that the number of voters deleted from electoral rolls during revisions exceeded the population of several countries.
Calling for collective action to safeguard democracy, they urged people to join the agitation launched by opposition parties.
SC/ST United Forum leaders M Krishnamurthy and Bhayya Vijayakumar, advocate Sudhir, Stree Vimukti leader R Durgadevi, INTUC leader Thalluri Aju, Liberation leader Godugu Satyanarayana and Nagamani were among those who participated in the protest.
TNT TMR
