Gangtok, Oct 10 (PTI) Three youth leaders of the Sikkim Democratic Front were among those detained in the national capital on Saturday during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the opposition party said.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had called for a demonstration to demand Kumar’s resignation, accusing him of masterminding voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll and other irregularities related to Form 6, used for voter registration.
At least 3,000 people were detained.
According to the Sikkim Democratic Front, its youth leaders who have been detained were Ezak Muringla Subba, Rewas Limboo, and Karma Tashi Bhutia.
SDF spokesperson Yojna Khaling Rai said the party had joined the protest in solidarity with growing public demands for transparency, accountability and safeguards to protect the credibility of elections.
She said concerns over alleged misuse of electronic voting machines, claims of “vote theft” and difficulties faced by citizens during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had fuelled public discontent with the poll panel.
Rai also raised concerns over the 2019 Sikkim Assembly elections, alleging that developments involving the disqualification of a convicted person from contesting elections and the subsequent reduction of the disqualification period had raised questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
“Any perception that the poll panel is acting in favour of the ruling party undermines public confidence in democratic institutions and the electoral process,” the SDF statement said.
The party reiterated that free and fair elections were fundamental to democracy and urged the poll panel to address public concerns and uphold its constitutional responsibility to remain impartial. PTI COR NSD
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