LUCKNOW, Sept. 26 -- Uttar Pradesh Congress staged a protest on Friday demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the electoral process.

The protest was staged amid an escalating political row over the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. "Election Commission has failed in its constitutional responsibility of conducting free, fair and transparent elections," said Ajai Rai, Uttar Pradesh Congress president.

Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said, "The crime has been proven. They have committed treason against the country when the Constitution had given them a responsibility to conduct free, fair, and transparent ele...