Kolkata, Oct 2 (PTI) The CPI(M)-led Left Front held a protest rally here on Friday, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Leaders of the CPI(M), RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI took part in the procession, which began from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue and concluded at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Esplanade.
The protesters also demanded restoration of names allegedly deleted from the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.
CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohammed Salim and central committee member Sujan Chakraborty were among those who participated in the rally.
“This is a test of our democracy,” Salim told reporters after the rally.
“The government’s job is not to stop protests, but to listen to the voice of the people and read the writing on the wall,” said Salim, who is also a member of the CPI(M) politburo.
The Left parties have announced a week-long programme of protests demanding the removal of the CEC, a halt to the SIR process and restoration of names of genuine voters allegedly deleted during the exercise.
They have also demanded repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.
The CPI(M) won one seat in the assembly elections held earlier this year. PTI AMR SOM
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