New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) Trinamool Congress national joint secretary Derek O’Brien on Saturday said the opposition’s demand for removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar remained central to its campaign against the Election Commission.
Other demands, including changes in the CEC selection process and opposition to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, were also firmly in place, he said.
“First, GK (Gyanesh Kumar) has to GO. There are certain other demands that have been raised. Those demands are very much in place, including how a CEC is selected and how SIR was a fraud. We will work unitedly, purposefully and swiftly,” O’Brien said.
His remarks came amid efforts by INDIA bloc parties to coordinate their response to the Election Commission issue and the SIR exercise. Opposition parties are likely to meet in Delhi on September 30 to discuss their strategy on these issues, according to sources.
The proposed INDIA bloc meeting follows increased coordination among opposition parties, with CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby reaching out to opposition leaders and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee saying she has spoken to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the need for the parties to sit together.
Opposition parties have also been raising concerns over the procedure for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioners and the Election Commissioners. They have objected to the 2023 law replacing the Chief Justice of India on the selection panel with a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the prime minister, arguing that it gives the government a majority on the three-member panel. The law is currently under challenge in the Supreme Court. PTI AO RUK
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