Congress Protests Election Commission Over Voter Deletions in Tamil Nadu

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram addressed reporters in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, on Monday, emphasising that although the removal of voter names was inappropriate, it did not solely account for the electoral outcomes seen in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Chidambaram asserted that the ultimate responsibility for the alleged vote manipulation lies with the opposition to substantiate their claims.

"They [the Election Commission of India] have removed them [voters]. That is wrong. Those names should have been included. But it is not apparent to me that TVK won and DMK lost only because of that… I do not know to what extent vote theft happened in Tamil Nadu," Chidambaram stated.

This remarks arose amidst ongoing scrutiny regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, which has led to accusations of widespread voter deletions across India. Chidambaram articulated the Congress party's strategy to potentially approach the Supreme Court or initiate a removal resolution in Parliament against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar if he does not resign soon. He further indicated that upcoming meetings of the Congress Working Committee and the INDIA bloc will determine the next actions.

Chidambaram’s comments come amid internal disagreements within the Election Commission regarding various decisions about the revision of electoral rolls. The Commission maintains that differing opinions are a standard aspect of any institutional process and insisted that all its decisions follow established legal guidelines.

"There is a case in the Supreme Court. When Parliament convenes, a resolution seeking his removal could be brought. All that, I cannot decide alone. The Congress Working Committee is meeting tomorrow, and they will take a decision," he noted.

Chidambaram reiterated calls from Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi for Kumar’s resignation, along with demands for a formal investigation into voter deletions. Demonstrations against the Election Commission took place nationwide, including in Karaikudi, following the end of a deadline for the Chief Election Commissioner to step down.

The Congress leader also raised concerns regarding the lack of documentation surrounding the revision processes, questioning how decisions were made without proper records.

"Shouldn’t there be a decision on record? All three commissioners should have sat together and recorded on file that an FIR would be conducted across the country, starting first with Bihar. But it is said there is no file at all. I think all these aspects will come up in the court case. If there is neither a file nor a formal decision, how can this be correct?" he posited.

Chidambaram categorically excluded the possibility of re-elections in constituencies that have already cast their votes, stating there is no constitutional basis for conducting fresh polls.

He outlined the party’s key demands, calling for the immediate cessation of the SIR process in other states and the reinstatement of approximately 130 million voters whose names were allegedly removed across 20 states.

Chidambaram pointed out that significant numbers of voters were removed from critical states including Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, and West Bengal.

Regarding the participation of various opposition parties within the INDIA bloc, Chidambaram highlighted differences in approach, noting how parties like the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Trinamool Congress are conducting their demonstrations efficiently while Congress focuses on a broader, national response.

In a post on social media platform X, Chidambaram claimed that approximately 13.3 crore names had been erroneously deleted from the electoral rolls, which he termed a 'vote theft' perpetrated by the Election Commission of India. He underscored the intensity of public support during the protests, reflecting significant anger and discontent directed at the Election Commission amid rising concerns over electoral integrity.