States » NorthPosted at: Oct 18 2026 5:40PM


Congress demands return to ballot papers, burns CEC effigies in Haryana protests

Panchkula, Oct 18 (UNI) Congress workers burn effigies of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during protests in Tosham and Hansi on Sunday, as the party intensified its ‘Vote Bachao–Desh Bachao’ campaign in Haryana and demanded a return to ballot-paper elections to address concerns over electoral transparency.
Haryana Congress in-charge Sanjay Dutt challenged the BJP-led government to conduct elections through ballot papers, saying the Congress would respect the mandate delivered through a free and fair electoral process.
The protests, attended by hundreds of party workers, according to a Congress statement, were part of its nationwide campaign over alleged irregularities in electoral processes and concerns about the integrity of voter lists.
Reacting to Haryana BJP president Archana Gupta's description of the campaign as a political drama, Dutt questioned why the ruling party was opposing demands for greater electoral transparency.
"If the BJP believes the electoral process is completely fair and there are no irregularities in voter lists, it should ensure free and fair elections instead of discrediting those raising questions," Dutt said.
He maintained that the Congress was seeking the restoration of ballot-paper voting to strengthen public confidence in elections.
"The Congress will respect the mandate of any government elected through free and fair elections," he said, adding that the party would take its campaign to villages and blocks across Haryana.
Congress state president Rao Narender Singh accused the BJP of attempting to dismiss legitimate questions about electoral transparency instead of addressing them.
He said concerns over voter lists and the conduct of elections should be examined impartially to safeguard public confidence in democratic institutions.
"The Election Commission has a constitutional responsibility to protect every citizen's voting rights. Questions concerning voter lists and electoral procedures must be addressed through transparent and impartial scrutiny," Singh said.
He described the BJP's criticism of the campaign as a sign of "political frustration" and asserted that the Congress would continue raising issues concerning voting rights and institutional accountability.
The Congress leaders' allegations about electoral irregularities were not accompanied by specific evidence in the party's statement.
The protests also brought farmers' difficulties and youth employment into focus, with Singh accusing the Haryana government of failing to address problems faced by farmers in selling their produce at procurement markets.
He alleged that farmers were being forced to move between mandis to sell their crops and demanded measures to ensure remunerative prices and smoother procurement.
Singh also questioned the Agniveer recruitment scheme, arguing that its limited service tenure had created uncertainty among young people aspiring to join the armed forces.
He said Haryana had a longstanding tradition of military service and that the government must address concerns over employment prospects and financial security after completion of service under the scheme.
"The government must take the concerns of young people and their families seriously and provide answers on their future security," Singh said.
The Congress would continue its campaign over farmers' rights, employment opportunities, electoral transparency and constitutional safeguards, he added.
At Tosham, the demonstration was attended by Congress leaders Varun Mullana, Anirudh Chaudhary, Pradeep Gulia, former MLA Shiv Shankar Bhardwaj and former AICC general secretary Pradeep Narwal, among others.
In Hansi, Dutt joined the protest along with MP Jai Prakash, district Congress president Braj Lal, MLAs Chander Prakash, Naresh Selwal and Jassi Petwar, and other party functionaries.
Congress workers raised slogans against the CEC and burnt symbolic effigies during the demonstrations.
The party said the campaign would continue at the grassroots level, linking its demands for electoral transparency with concerns over farmers' welfare and employment opportunities for young people.
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Tags: #Congress demands return to ballot papers# burns CEC effigies in Haryana protests
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