NEW DELHI, SEPT 29: Addressing the Congress Working Committee, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge maintained that the party bears a historic responsibility to protect the nation’s democracy and Constitution, comparing the task to the freedom struggle during British rule. He stated that national institutions built over decades stand weakened today and asserted that the independence of key bodies has been compromised. On moral grounds, he demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, affirming that the Election Commission must regain the confidence of the public and political parties alike.
Focusing on alleged irregularities in voter lists across regions including Mahadevapura, Aland, Haryana, and Maharashtra, the party president backed findings related to duplicate voters, questionable addresses, and entries linked to Form 6. He declared that voter deletion disproportionately impacts marginalized citizens, contrasting the situation with the lowering of the voting age to 18 under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. To ensure complete fairness, he outlined five clear demands: releasing full data on major roll modifications, notifying deleted voters with an appeal mechanism, providing timely data access to political parties, conducting independent investigations into discrepancies, and maintaining full transparency across all electoral decisions.
He noted that the party’s critiques are aimed at strengthening democratic frameworks rather than undermining them. Citing BR Ambedkar’s constitutional principles, he stated that no eligible voter should be excluded at the discretion of officials. He commended party workers for raising these concerns across block, district, and state levels, affirming that the campaign for transparent rolls and fair proceedings will continue from local streets to Parliament ahead of upcoming state elections.
