"Immediately restore 13+ cr names removed from electoral rolls": Jairam Ramesh reiterates "clear" demands amid SIR row

New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI): Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, on Tuesday reiterated the party’s four “clear” demands amid allegations of electoral malpractices against the Election Commission of India.
The party held its Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi today, where key leaders including Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, among others participated.
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh asserted that in the meeting, the Congress “resolved to resist the RSS-BJP’s capture of the electoral process”.
“Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi has been warning the country about Vote Chori for over a year and a half. The recent revelations have emerged because of his conviction and the sustained efforts of the Congress. Today, there is a nationwide demand to restore the integrity of India’s elections,” he said.
Among demands like the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and suspension of Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Jairam said that the party also demanded immediate restoration of the 13+ crore names removed from the electoral rolls.
“We have 4 clear demands: - The immediate resignation of the CEC. - The immediate suspension of the SIR. - The immediate restoration of the 13+ crore names removed from the electoral rolls. - The resignation of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, who have organised Vote Chori,” he said.
“The Congress is not only a party of opposition, but also a party of resistance. We will ensure that this struggle reaches its rightful conclusion,” Jairam Ramesh said.
The CWC said in its resolution that more than 13 crore names were removed from draft voter lists during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across 30 states and Union Territories.
The political row intensified following an investigative report by The Indian Express, which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and procedures linked to the SIR exercise.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that the reported objections represented institutional dissent, maintaining that decisions related to SIR were taken with the unanimous approval of the Commission. (ANI)