Pawan Khera calls ECI's clarification 'too late,' demands resignation

Congress leader Pawan Khera called the ECI's clarification on the SIR process 'too lame, too little, too late' and demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, claiming the poll body's note leaves central questions on Form 6 and voter exclusion unanswered.

Khera Demands CEC's Resignation

Following the Election Commission's clarification, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday said that the ECI's press note on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process is "too lame, too little, too late" and demanded the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

Concerns Over Form 6 and Disenfranchisement

Taking to X, Khera claimed that the ECI's note confirms that the Indian Express report was "indeed true and leaves the central questions unanswered." "It confirms that @IndianExpress story was indeed true, and leaves the central questions unanswered. ISSUE 1: FORM 6 Two ECs opposed the changes to Form 6. One called them “unauthorised” and “illegal”. The ECI now says the old Form 6 will remain available outside SIR, i.e. in SSR. But what about young voters disenfranchised in Bihar or West Bengal, where SIR was followed by elections without an intervening SSR? What is the relevance of the old Form 6 if the SSR has not been conducted since Jan 2024?" he wrote.

Questions on ECINET Review Committee

Khera slammed poll body over it's decision to set up a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) and including an IIT/IIIT expert, to review ECINET. "But it already has a Project Steering Committee (PSC) overseeing e-governance, including ECINET - with all DECs and 3 IIT/IIM experts. So what good has the preexisting PSC served that the same or a similar committee is now being trusted with reviewing the ECINET?" he asked

The Case of 97 Excluded Goa Voters

Congress leader further questioned ECI as to "why 97 voters in Goa were excluded in SIR in the first place". "THE 97 GOA VOTERS The ECI says 81 of the 97 excluded Goa voters have now filed Form 6 - after the Indian Express report. But that still leaves the real questions: Why were they excluded in the first place? How many others across India were excluded for the same reason? And how is the ECI planning to find them and restore them? So Gyanesh Kumar Gupta can try, as much as he wants, to hide behind these long press notes. He cannot simply wash his hands of this mess. He should either resign and turn approver, or be prepared to be tried for TREASON," he wrote.

ECI's Response and Clarification

In Goa, ECI said the CEO Goa, has directed concerned BLOs to conduct house-to-house visits to left-out voters to collect their forms. 81 voters out of 97 have already filled Form 6 for inclusion.

The Commission said SIR has already been completed in 20 States and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. It added that persons whose names were left out during SIR or thereafter, including young and first-time voters, can apply for inclusion of their names in electoral rolls under the continuous updation process. (ANI)

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