New Delhi, Oct 8: Delhi Police has tightened security in and around the official residence of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission office amid protests by opposition parties and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), officials said on Thursday.
Kumar is having a Z-Plus category protection which entails a minimum of 32 personnel, mainly drawn from Delhi Police. The security cover for the CEC’s post was enhanced to the top category during the tenure of former CEC Rajiv Kumar by the Central government.
The development comes as INDIA bloc leaders stepped up their protests against the Election Commission, with opposition parties demanding Kumar’s resignation over allegations of “vote chori” under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The CJP has also demanded the resignation of Kumar and the initiation of criminal proceedings against him. The CJP, after holding demonstrations in Mumbai and Bengaluru, have announced a march in the national capital on October 10.
Their announcement comes at a time when the opposition leaders have been continuously staging protests in Delhi. On Thursday, a protest was held at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat, where they paid floral tributes and prayed for “wisdom to the BJP government and the chief election commissioner”.
Protesting leaders later said they would continue their agitation until Kumar resigns.
On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged an eight-hour sit-in at the Akashvani Bhawan complex. On Wednesday, opposition leaders were stopped near the Shangri-La hotel while attempting to proceed towards Jantar Mantar and were detained.
The opposition has alleged that voter deletions during the SIR exercise were aimed at disenfranchising people opposed to the BJP and has accused the government and the Election Commission of “vote chori”. (PTI)
