Form-6 row: Jitendra Awhad tears up form, demands Gyanesh Kumar's removal

Alleged differences within the Election Commission of India have stirred up national politics. According to a report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, serving under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, have filed written objections 14 times over the past ten months on some of the commission's decisions. These objections are said to relate to voter registration, deletion of names from electoral rolls, re-addition of names, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and changes made to Form-6.

After the report emerged, the opposition targeted the Election Commission. Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar party MLA Jitendra Awhad, at a press conference, sharply criticised Gyanesh Kumar and raised serious questions about the commission's functioning.

Awhad held a Form-6 in his hand and tore it up, registering his protest against the Election Commission. He made several allegations against the commission over the changes to SIR and Form-6. Taking a dig at Gyanesh Kumar, he demanded his removal from the post.

Raising questions about the commission's functioning, Awhad appealed to people to speak up about changes made to voter registration and the electoral rolls. At his press conference, he also alleged that Gyanesh Kumar is working under pressure. These remain Awhad's own political allegations.

The report also states that the election commissioners had objected to the inclusion of additional declarations related to SIR in Form-6. According to the information that has emerged, Sandhu had called this change "unauthorised" and "illegal."

NCP(SP) national chief spokesperson Jitendra Awhad said in Thane that the matter is not confined to Gyanesh Kumar alone; before him was Commissioner Rajiv, and even earlier, when the Supreme Court had given a ruling, similar things had been said then too.

On the entire controversy, the Election Commission has denied claims of internal differences. Commission sources have clarified that all decisions, including on SIR, were taken with the approval and consensus of all three election commissioners. So on one side is a report of 14 written objections, and on the other the commission's clarification that all decisions were taken by consensus, and that is where the matter currently stands.

Following this development, the issue of Form-6, SIR and changes to the electoral rolls is likely to intensify further. While the opposition is raising questions about the commission's transparency, the commission maintains that all its decisions were taken by consensus.