SP plans district marches against EC

LUCKNOW

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad on Sunday said the party will organise marches in every district against the Election Commission, saying the protests would focus on protecting voting rights, democracy and the Constitution. Prasad said the marches would seek to protect the right to vote given by Babasaheb Ambedkar and defend democratic values. His announcement came as protests against the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision exercise were reported in Mumbai and Delhi. In Mumbai, activists of the Cockroach Janata Party and other civil society organisations demonstrated at Shivaji Park, alleging irregularities in the SIR exercise. Heavy police deployment was seen at the venue. In Delhi, members of the Students’ Federation of India and Democratic Youth Federation of India, along with opposition leaders, protested near Jantar Mantar. Delhi Police had denied permission for the proposed demonstration and imposed prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Despite the restrictions, the SFI and DYFI protest went ahead, with CPI(M) leaders demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, who joined the Delhi protest, alleged that Kumar had violated rules governing the Election Commission and called for his removal. The developments come amid opposition criticism of the Election Commission and the SIR exercise. Prasad said the Samajwadi Party’s district-level marches would be held to safeguard voting rights, democracy and the Constitution. The party did not provide a schedule or dates for the proposed marches in the statement. The announcement followed separate demonstrations by opposition groups and civil society organisations, who raised allegations concerning electoral processes and sought action against the election authorities. The protests continued amid political tensions.