All-party meet seeks CEC’s removal, suspension of SIR

Leaders of the Left parties, Congress, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and several political and civil society organisations on Sunday demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and restoration of the names of voters allegedly deleted from the rolls.At an all-party roundtable meeting organised by the Left parties here, CPI(M) State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao alleged that 13 crore names had been deleted from the electoral rolls under the supervision of the Chief Election Commissioner and demanded an explanation from the Election Commission of India (ECI). He also sought the inclusion of the Chief Justice of India in the committee for appointing Election Commissioners.Former Union Minister J.D. Seelam demanded the immediate removal of Mr. Kumar, while former Minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao sought an inquiry into the allegations against him. CPI national executive member Akkineni Vanaja called for measures to ensure free and fair elections.Former MLA and YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu alleged that the SIR had resulted in 32 lakh voters being deprived of their voting rights in Andhra Pradesh and said his party would join the protests.Former IAS officer B. Srinivasa Rao sought a forensic audit of the ERO and ECI-NET systems, protection of relevant records and intervention by the Supreme Court. Other speakers called for restructuring the Election Commission and a nationwide mobilisation against what they described as interference in independent institutions.The participants called for protests on September 28 and October 2 and appealed to people to take part.Y. Venkateswara Rao, CPI(M) State secretariat member; Sunkara Rajendra Prasad, convener of the Vote Protection Forum; G.S.R.K.R. Vijayakumar, president of the Liberation Congress; V. Lakshmana Reddy, leader of the Jana Chaitanya Vedika; Vidyasagar, VCK State president; Harinath, CPI(ML) Liberation leader; P. Polari and M. Ramakrishna, CPI(ML) New Democracy leaders; Kurra Vasundhara, social activist; Khader Basha, MCPI leader; and Sudheer, SUCI(C) leader, among others, spoke. Published - September 27, 2026 08:07 pm IST