KALABURAGI: AICC president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday demanded the dissolution of state Assemblies elected after 2023 where there were allegations of malpractice in the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge referred to reports that two Election Commissioners had recorded objections 14 times over 10 months to decisions taken by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Kharge also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the government had enabled the CEC to act without fear of legal proceedings by providing him immunity through a law passed in Parliament in December 2023.
He alleged that the NDA government had also removed the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel for the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners and replaced the CJI with the Home Minister.
Kharge said the Prime Minister and Home Minister should take moral responsibility for these decisions and resign. He also demanded that the Assemblies where there were allegations of malpractice in SIR be dissolved and fresh elections held using ballot papers.
He said the Congress Working Committee had discussed the issue with INDIA bloc partners and decided to launch various forms of agitation. In the first phase, the party would create awareness among youths about voting rights and alleged attempts to deprive youths, migrant workers and Dalits of their voting rights.
The INDIA bloc has already held a protest in New Delhi and will hold another agitation in the national capital on October 6, Kharge said. Similar protests would also be held in the states.
He said the bloc would urge the Supreme Court to expedite its hearing on SIR and the reported objections raised by the Election Commissioners. The bloc would also press the Union government to withdraw the law providing immunity to Election Commissioners and restore the earlier position.
MLA Allamaprabhu Patil and DCC president Kiran Deshmukh were present.
