Manipur Congress stages protests, demands removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Congress workers and supporters staged demonstrations across several districts of Manipur on September 28, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations raised by the party regarding the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

In Imphal East, Congress members gathered near the Deputy Commissioner’s office at Porompat and raised slogans against Kumar. Protesters carried placards bearing messages such as “Save democracy, save EC” and “Our vote, our rights”.

Congress vice-president Amin Shah said the demonstrations were part of the nationwide protest called by the party. He said the Congress wanted Kumar to be arrested and called for what he described as the protection of democratic institutions.

The protests were also held in Imphal West, where Congress workers demonstrated outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s office at Lamphelpat. Some protesters carried placards describing Kumar as an “enemy of India”.

At the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Thoubal, demonstrators burnt an effigy of Kumar and raised slogans against the BJP.

Members of the District Congress Committee also staged a demonstration at the Churachandpur district headquarters, extending the protests to another part of the state.

The Congress has been protesting against the CEC over its allegations concerning the Election Commission’s functioning and the SIR exercise. The Election Commission, meanwhile, has maintained that decisions taken on the SIR were part of its institutional process.