Mumbai, Sep 23 Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be sacked and jailed for “murdering” democracy, citing reports of differences emerging within the Election Commission.
Addressing a news conference, Thackeray also demanded that the last elections in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu be nullified and repolls be held in these states using ballot papers.
He was reacting to a report in The Indian Express that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had repeatedly objected to decisions and orders issued without their knowledge during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), including changes to Form 6 and centralisation of control over the electoral roll database.
Thackeray claimed that the names of 90 lakh voters were deleted in West Bengal and 70 lakh in Tamil Nadu during SIR. Ahead of the 2024 assembly elections, 45 lakh voters were added in Maharashtra, and now objections have been raised against 40 lakh citizens on the list, he claimed.
“Gyanesh Kumar should be immediately sacked and jailed because he has murdered democracy and insulted the Constitution,” the former Maharashtra chief minister said.
“I thank Election Commissioners (ECs) Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi for exposing Gyanesh Kumar and showing courage,” Thackeray said.
He claimed that the two ECs have “revolted against Kumar” and it can be “assumed that they have removed CEC because they have the majority now”. The two ECs should cancel all the wrong decisions taken by the poll body, he said.
If no action is taken, then people will take matters into their own hands. If people lose faith in the electoral process, then it will lead to anarchy in the country, Thackeray said.
He also said the court should take cognisance of the issue.
Uddhav said the two ECs should cancel all the “wrong decisions” taken by the poll body. “All opposition parties should unite to save democracy in the country,” he said.
Thackeray said that for the past few years, a “gang had been wreaking havoc” in the country. “The gang has been exposed. This gang has been involved in splitting parties, stealing parties, murdering democracy, and its kingpin is Gyanesh Kumar,” Thackeray claimed.
He also alleged that the EC takes instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs. If the home minister is behind this, he should also face action, Thackeray said.
The Sena (UBT) chief said the poll body has been following the pattern of “stealing and killing democracy”.
“They first freeze the symbol and then give a partial decision. They used it for Sena (UBT), NCP and now TMC. Shiv Sena (UBT) is an example of how decisions have been given on whims and fancies,” said Thackeray.
(PTI News)
