Tejashwi Yadav says EC reduced to tool for undermining democracy

Patna, RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav on Friday sharpened his attack on CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the SIR exercise continues to exclude eligible voters and that the EC was "reduced to a tool for undermining democracy".

Yadav, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, made the remarks in a post on X and demanded cancellation of the recent elections in all five states, including Bihar.

Also read: Plea filed in SC seeking CEC Gyanesh Kumar's prosecution for unlawful Form 6 changes


The remarks came after The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the Election Commission, including on addition, deletion and restoration of voters and changes to the voter registration process.

"The recent elections in all five states, including Bihar, should be cancelled. Why were the two Election Commissioners now questioning the poll panel's functioning silent for so long? The SIR process is excluding eligible voters and the EC has been reduced to a tool for undermining democracy," he said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister Amit Shah have turned the poll panel into a tool for dismantling democracy. The people of the country will now take to the streets and force the Election Commission to become transparent and accountable," he said.

On the demand for Kumar's resignation, Union minister Chirag Paswan said the EC should firmly present its side if questions were being raised against it.

Also read: Congress protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar spread across India; Gaurav Gogoi detained, tear gas fired in Manipur

"If such questions are being raised against the EC, then I believe that this responsibility also lies with the poll panel to firmly present their side of the argument. I don't care what the opposition says because the opposition's job is to do politics," Paswan said.