States » NorthPosted at: Sep 30 2026 7:56PM


Himachal Left parties protest in Shimla, demand halt to SIR and CEC’s removal

Shimla, September 30 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other Left parties staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday as part of a nationwide call, demanding halt to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protesters also demanded that names of all eligible voters deleted during the SIR exercise be restored and that the constitutional and autonomous role of the Election Commission be strengthened.
CPI(M) Himachal Pradesh state secretary Sanjay Chauhan, state secretariat member Prem Gautam, district secretary Vijender Mehra, Shimla Local Committee secretary Jagat Ram, Falma Chauhan, Jagmohan Thakur, engineer R P Singh, Tamil Nadu CPI leader A Bhaskar and several other party leaders addressed the gathering.
Hundreds of party workers and citizens participated in the demonstration.
Addressing the protesters, the speakers said universal adult franchise was the foundation of Indian democracy and that ensuring the inclusion of every eligible citizen in electoral rolls was a constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission.
They raised concerns over the large-scale revision of electoral rolls under the SIR exercise and said no process should be allowed to proceed unless it was ensured that no eligible voter was wrongly excluded.
The Left parties demanded that all eligible voters whose names had been deleted be restored and said any deletion from the electoral rolls should follow a transparent, lawful and verifiable procedure, while giving the affected citizen adequate opportunity to establish eligibility.
The speakers said voters should not be deprived of their constitutional right because of administrative procedures, documentation-related difficulties or other reasons.
They also stressed the need for the Election Commission to function independently of political parties and governments, saying public confidence in the poll panel was essential for the credibility of the democratic system.
The protesters also raised the issue of the appointment of Election Commissioners. They referred to the 2023 law enacted by Parliament governing the appointment process and said its constitutional validity was under challenge before the Supreme Court.
They pointed out that a two-judge bench delivered a split verdict in the matter on September 23, 2026, leaving the issue for consideration by a larger bench.
The Left parties reiterated their demand for a transparent and independent mechanism for appointing Election Commissioners, with the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India having a role in the selection process.
The speakers said the Election Commission was a constitutional body entrusted with conducting free and fair elections and maintaining the integrity of electoral rolls.
Any questions over its independence and impartiality, they said, should be addressed through transparency, accountability and measures aimed at restoring public confidence.
The protesters also referred to reports of objections raised by two Election Commissioners over issues related to voter registration, deletion and restoration of names and the SIR exercise.
They said the developments raised questions about the functioning and accountability of the poll panel.
The speakers maintained that the agitation was not merely about an individual office-holder but concerned the protection of the democratic and constitutional framework, an independent electoral process and the voting rights of citizens.
They demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and urged the Election Commission to ensure that its functioning remained impartial, independent, transparent and accountable.
UNI BN
Tags: #Himachal Left parties protest in Shimla# demand halt to SIR and CEC’s removal
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