Shimla, Sept. 25 -- The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Friday staged a protest outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer at Kasumpti in Shimla, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and alleging that the Election Commission has failed to act independently.

The protest was organised against what Congress leaders described as alleged irregularities in the electoral process and the manner in which the Chief Election Commissioner was appointed. The party said it would intensify the issue through a state-wide public campaign.

Addressing reporters, AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Congress Rajani Patil alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders had been repeatedly raising conce...