Kharge lists Congress' three 'non-negotiable demands' amid SIR row

Kharge demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, annulment of SIR and elections on ballot paper amid the ongoing poll process row

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said his party has three "non-negotiable demands" - resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, annulment of SIR and conduct of elections on ballot paper instead of EVMs.

Kharge said across the country, Congress workers and INDIA bloc partners are on the streets over these three issues.

The Congress stands with civil society members and youth organisations that are struggling on these issues in various places across the country, Kharge said.

On the other hand, the BJP has "harassed" female journalists in Delhi, which is highly condemnable, Kharge said.

"The dictator is extremely panicked; get ready for another chapter in the distraction tactics," the Congress chief said.

 

"The Congress Party's 3 demands are non-negotiable. First, the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. Second, the annulment of SIR. Third, conducting elections on Ballot Paper," Kharge said.

The Congress' attack on the CEC comes amid the raging row over The Indian Express report that election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders on the Special Intensive Revision process that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

Under fire over red flags raised by two of its commissioners, the EC has asserted that differing views and observations are a part of deliberations in any institution and all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.