Guwahati, Sept. 24 -- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday defended Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid the ongoing row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying criticism of the CEC reflected the "frustration" of the Opposition and calling its critics "Dimagi Naxals".

Addressing a press conference, Sarma said decisions of the Election Commission are taken collectively and argued that the CEC cannot independently take decisions without the involvement of the other Election Commissioners.

"The Election Commission can't take any decision when the Chief Election Commissioner or other Election Commissioner are in minority. Every decision of Election Commission has to be passed or has to ...