Rahul Gandhi asks Chief Election Commissioner to resign over vote chori scam

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and turn approver in the vote chori scam during a press conference in Delhi. Rahul stated that Kumar was not the main criminal or the mind behind the wrongdoing, adding that he could even be forgiven if he stepped aside to serve the nation and the Constitution.

Pressure and Protests

Rahul alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner faced pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and industrialist Gautam Adani. He asserted that the Opposition's fight would not stop with Kumar's removal, targeting the Prime Minister and Home Minister next. He announced that INDIA bloc leaders would approach the Supreme Court with an election fairness petition and that he and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to the Chief Justice of India.

Government Actions

Rahul claimed the Modi government turned Delhi into a fortress by stopping trains and buses to prevent people from joining protests. He stated that police questioned why they had to stop young protesters while allowing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh members to move freely. He also claimed that 200 government officials inside agencies like the ED, CBI, and Foreign Ministry were sharing information with the Opposition, which plans to submit evidence to the President.

Context

The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, an autonomous body constitutionally responsible for administering election processes in the country. Press conferences by opposition leaders addressing constitutional authorities are a common method of raising political and public pressure in the Indian political system.