Uddhav Thackeray Demands Sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Over Internal Poll Body Row

The Demand

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Dnyanesh Kumar. Thackeray alleged that two Election Commissioners had raised concerns about the poll body's functioning and written to the Cabinet Secretary. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Thackeray said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should act against the CEC. He claimed opposition parties had questioned the Election Commission's decisions for years and urged parties to unite for the CEC's removal.

Allegations and Probes

Thackeray thanked Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu for their courage. He alleged that Kumar operated on instructions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and called for a probe to identify the mastermind. The leader stated that these developments raise questions over Assembly elections in Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, while demanding a return to ballot papers for future polls. The controversy follows a media report stating that Joshi and Sandhu formally objected 14 times over 10 months regarding voter registration processes and IT systems.

The ECI Response

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India refuted the news report regarding objections to the Special Intensive Regulation process. The poll body stated that internal checks and balances are standard practice in a multi-member constitutional body. The ECI explained that its three members may have individual views during talks, but all final decisions are taken unanimously. The commission noted that operational queries raised at the draft stage are part of normal deliberations and should not be seen as final decisions.