The youth wing and activists of Jharkhand Congress clashed with police on Tuesday while they were trying to cross the barricades during a protest happening outside the office of the chief electoral officer’s (CEO) situated in Ranchi.These workers were protesting against the Election commission while demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, the chief election commissioner (CEC). According to the PTI report, some demonstrators blackened the commission’s official nameplate after being stopped from entering the premises.The hundreds of congress and youth wing workers marched from the area near the old assembly building to the CEO’s office in Dhurwa.They were carrying placards raised slogans, “Where will you find the vote thief? In the BJP office”, “Gyanesh Kumar Resign” and “Vote thief, vacate your seat of power”.Former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, who participated in the demonstration, alleged that people across the country had prepared a “chargesheet” against the CEC.“People of the country have prepared a chargesheet against the CEC. Allegations against the CEC are enough for a person holding a constitutional post to resign,” Sahay said.The protest was aimed at highlighting the plight of people who, despite carrying the required documents, continue to make repeated trips to government offices to get their names added to the electoral rolls, a Congress leader said.“Democracy is being murdered… Two other members of the Election Commission had raised questions on Gyanesh Kumar’s style of working, but now irregularities committed by him have come out,” said Congress Ranchi Mahanagar president Kumar Raja.
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Raja said the electoral process could not be made fully transparent unless Gyanesh Kumar stepped down as Chief Election Commissioner. He added that the Congress would continue its campaign on the issue.The protest followed a report by The Indian Express, which claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months to certain decisions and orders were issued without their knowledge, they said.The report further said the objections were raised even as the nationwide rollout of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was being conducted under the supervision of the full Election Commission.