Uddhav Thackeray demands arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Reactions poured in across the country after an English newspaper reported an internal rift within the Election Commission over several issues, including the Special Intensive Revision and voting machines. Opposition leaders began targeting the Election Commission from Wednesday morning. Amid this, Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction chief Uddhav Thackeray called a press conference and demanded the immediate arrest of the Chief Election Commissioner.

According to the report, in the three-member Election Commission, commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had complained to the Cabinet Secretary that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had taken several decisions while ignoring opposition to them or without consulting others. On this development, former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched a strong attack on Gyanesh Kumar at a press conference on Wednesday.

Thackeray said the arbitrary conduct of the Election Commission's chief commissioner has been confirmed today. He said Gyanesh Kumar is the main architect of the group that splits political parties, and that his true face has now been exposed to everyone. He demanded that Gyanesh Kumar be sent to jail immediately.

Thackeray further said that he and his party have continuously raised their voice against this for several years, and that this now appears to be proving true. He said what can be called a real rebellion has now taken place, because the Election Commission now belongs to the two commissioners, Sandhu and Joshi. According to him, the two commissioners have effectively removed Gyanesh Kumar from the Commission, since they now hold a majority.

Targeting the ruling party, Thackeray said a group in India is causing havoc by splitting political parties, stealing other parties and killing democracy. He said the main architect of this group is Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who should therefore be sent to jail immediately.

Thackeray also questioned on whose instructions this group was working, saying people now understand this. He said it is claimed that the Election Commission follows the directions of the Union Home Ministry, and demanded that it also be disclosed whether the Home Minister is behind this.