New Delhi: Security has been stepped up around Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s residence and the Election Commission of India headquarters as protests demanding his resignation intensify in Delhi.
Kumar, who already has Z+ security cover, is now being provided additional protection, with more personnel deployed around his residence, office and for his personal security, according to sources. A round the clock police presence has also been arranged outside his residence following protests near the premises.
The heightened security comes amid growing political tension over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties, including the Congress and other INDIA bloc constituents, have accused the poll panel of irregularities in the exercise and have stepped up their demand for Kumar’s resignation.
The Election Commission has rejected the allegations and defended the SIR process, maintaining that the revision is being carried out within the legal framework.
The protests have already led to confrontations between Opposition leaders and Delhi Police. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other Opposition lawmakers were detained during demonstrations after protesters attempted to move towards the Election Commission headquarters.
The dispute has also reached the Supreme Court. The court has so far declined to restrain Kumar from functioning, observing that it could not pass such an order solely on the basis of media reports. The court has, however, agreed to examine the issues raised in petitions challenging aspects of the electoral roll revision process.
The controversy has been further fuelled by reports of differences within the Election Commission over decisions linked to the SIR exercise. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have reportedly raised objections on several occasions. The poll body has maintained that differences of opinion during institutional deliberations do not indicate a breakdown in its functioning.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police has intensified security arrangements across central Delhi ahead of further Opposition protests. Thousands of personnel have been deployed, with additional central forces also being brought in to assist with maintaining law and order.
For now, the standoff shows no sign of easing. With the Opposition continuing its street protests and the Election Commission standing by the SIR exercise, the dispute over electoral rolls has turned into a wider political battle over the functioning and credibility of the country’s poll body.
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