The East Singhbhum district committee of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) staged a protest on Monday demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and burned his effigy. A large number of people, along with JMM leaders and workers, participated in the programme.

JMM East Singhbhum district president Victor Soren said that voting and choosing a preferred political party and candidate are constitutional rights of citizens in a democratic system. He alleged that steps related to electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were affecting citizens’ rights.

Soren demanded that the President immediately remove Gyanesh Kumar from office. He said his party would continue its movement on the issue to protect constitutional and democratic rights.

Potka MLA Sanjeev Sardar also expressed his objection to the special revision of electoral rolls during the programme. He said complaints that the names of people from tribal and indigenous communities who have been living for a long time in Jharkhand and other states covered under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules were being removed from electoral rolls were serious. He demanded action against those responsible and the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

During the programme, JMM leaders raised slogans against the central government and the Election Commission and burned the effigy. Mohan Karmakar, Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Kunal Shadangi, Raju Giri, Astik Mahto, Sheikh Badruddin, Veer Singh Suren and several senior party leaders were present.

District vice-president Sagen Purti, Vidyasagar Das, Pranav Mahto, Ratan Mahto, Mohammad Jaleel, Sheikh Nasir Khan and a large number of workers also participated. The leaders said the party would continue registering its protest over issues related to voters’ rights.

However, no response from the Election Commission or the Chief Election Commissioner regarding the allegations and demands raised at the programme was available for this report.