New Delhi, Oct. 5 -- Stepping up their attack on CEC Gyanesh Kumar after the Supreme Court said it had not approved any modifications to Form 6, the Congress and other Opposition parties demanded his immediate resignation, alleging that he betrayed the Constitution at the behest of the Prime Minister and Home minister and unilaterally made changes to the form for the SIR process.

The BJP, however, said the Supreme Court notices to the EC and the Centre are "proof" that all institutions in the country are "functioning independently" and democratically and there is no atmosphere of "fear and dictatorship".

Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also defended the SIR exercise, saying an accurate and updated voter list is the bedrock of a transparent and fair election process.

Opposition parties including Congress, CPI, AAP and BJD demanded that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar must resign immediately after the Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission and the Centre on pleas alleging that the poll body took several decisions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of polls without the approval of two other election commissioners.

The developments came a day ahead of the proposed march by Opposition MPs from Parliament House to the Election Commission's office over the SIR row and "vote chori" charge.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said, "We will examine all the decisions. If any decision is not in accordance with the law, we will annul it. You know the power of the court."

The bench said that "any modification to Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let's be clear. When records are produced, we would like to see who has modified it".

Form 6 is an application through which an eligible person seeks inclusion in the electoral rolls.

Leading the attack, Rahul Gandhi said it is now established beyond doubt that CEC Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 "illegally and unilaterally".

"It is now established beyond doubt that Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 illegally and unilaterally. This is just one more proof of him abusing his position to help the BJP."

"He and everyone else involved in this criminal assault on our democracy will be held accountable," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post on X.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said his party has three "non-negotiable demands" - resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, annulment of SIR and conduct of elections on ballot paper instead of EVMs.

Congress general secretary (in-charge communications) Jairam Ramesh also lashed out at the CEC, saying the CEC "lied".

"Form 6 was deliberately modified by the CEC himself to delete Gen Z voters of whom the PM is simply terrified," Ramesh alleged on X.

This "malicious" Form 6 modification, which was originally implied to have the Supreme Court's approval, is

one such example of his underhanded and simply indefensible conduct, he said.

"In reality, the CEC has not only lied but also violated the law and betrayed the Constitution in letter and spirit at the behest of the PM and the HM," Ramesh alleged.

Defending the EC after the SC notice, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "The country is moving in a very democratic way.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.