Bhubaneswar: Workers and leaders of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) staged a protest march in Bhubaneswar on Friday demanding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A large number of slogan-shouting Congress workers holding placards and banners marched towards the office of the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Bhubaneswar, amid heavy police deployment.
The protest, led by OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, was part of the Congress’s nationwide demonstrations against the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
As a precautionary measure, around ten platoons of police personnel were deployed near the CEO office, while roads leading to the premises were sealed.
Eyewitnesses said the demonstration led to a face-off between Congress workers and police personnel, with pushing and shoving reported during the protest. When the protesters attempted to break barricades to proceed towards the CEO office, they were prevented by the police personnel. As a result a clash erupted, sparking tension in the area.
The Congress announced the nationwide protests amid a controversy surrounding the Election Commission’s functioning and the SIR of electoral rolls. The party has demanded the removal and arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and an independent review of decisions and electoral-roll changes made during his tenure.
The protests follow media reports about objections raised within the three-member Election Commission over aspects of the SIR exercise. According to a report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on several occasion.
The Congress has announced further demonstrations at district collectorates on September 28.