Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s two-day visit to Chhattisgarh has been postponed. It was planned for October 7 and 8. The state Chief Electoral Officer’s office said the reason was “unavoidable reasons”.
The delay comes during stronger opposition protests demanding Kumar’s resignation. There is also talk of a notice in Parliament for an impeachment motion. Petitions are pending before the Supreme Court. The Election Commission has also faced criticism over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and changes to Form 6.
Kumar was to visit the Danteshwari Mata Temple in Dantewada, Chitrakote Waterfall in Bastar and the Bhoramdeo Temple in Kabirdham district. The state had given him “state guest” status. Raipur’s administration, police and airport authorities had started preparing for his arrival and security.
No new date is fixed. The revised schedule will be shared once the Election Commission of India sends it.
Earlier visits by Kumar were also postponed. These were to Meerut and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, and to Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The latest delay follows Tuesday’s opposition protest in Delhi, where Rahul Gandhi led a sit-in of over eight hours near the EC office. Police detained about 250 people. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Derek O’Brien, K C Venugopal and other MPs were released after brief detention. Protests will continue Wednesday. The Aam Aadmi Party will join Congress, Left parties and others outside the Delhi CEO’s office at 1 pm. AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bhardwaj asked workers and supporters to attend in large numbers.
