Thackeray Cousins Demand Resignation of Election Chief in Mumbai Protest
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray lead a significant protest in Mumbai against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll irregularities.
Protest led by Uddhav and Raj Thackeray calls for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Over 2 crore voters have been excluded from Maharashtra's draft electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision.
Thackerays advocate for a return to ballot voting instead of electronic voting machines.
On Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray, head of the Shiv Sena (UBT), and Raj Thackeray, leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, spearheaded a protest march in Mumbai, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. This demonstration, termed the Virat Garjana Morcha, commenced at Metro Cinema and proceeded to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters, attracting participation from leaders of the Congress party and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The Thackeray cousins accused Kumar of compromising the electoral process and called for the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Raj Thackeray emphasized that the SIR process in Maharashtra should be entirely abolished, advocating for a return to traditional ballot paper voting instead of relying on electronic voting machines. He expressed concerns about a significant drop in voter numbers, questioning the integrity of the electoral roll revisions.
Uddhav Thackeray echoed these sentiments, asserting that Kumar has effectively stripped citizens of their voting rights. He challenged the rationale behind the SIR, particularly questioning its effectiveness in identifying illegal immigrants. The protest follows a recent demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had also criticized the Chief Election Commissioner.
The backdrop of this protest is the alarming statistic that over 2.06 crore voters, representing 21.14% of Maharashtra's previous voter base, have been excluded from the draft electoral roll after the SIR. Prior to this revision, Maharashtra had approximately 9.78 crore registered voters, with only 7.71 crore remaining on the draft roll. Officials noted that many of those excluded were either untraceable, deceased, or had changed addresses.
Looking ahead, the deadline for eligible voters to file claims regarding missing names on the draft roll was September 30, with the final electoral roll set to be published on November 4. The implications of this protest and the ongoing issues surrounding the electoral roll revisions could significantly impact the upcoming elections in Maharashtra.
