PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara has demanded removal of State election commissioner Sushil Kumar from his position. In a letter to the governor lieutenant general ( retd) Gurmit Singh, the PCC president said that recently the State Election Commission issued an order which allowed candidates having names in the voter lists of urban local bodies and the Panchayats to contest Panchayat elections.
He said that the SEC Sushil Kumar is a retired IAS officer and his order allowing candidates having names in multiple voter lists to contest Panchayat elections is a clear violation of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1950 and1951 which states that any person can get registered in the voter list of only one area. He added that the Uttarakhand High Court has also clarified that the above provision of the SEC is illegal and against the constitution.
Mahara said that the action of the SEC showcases serious constitutional lapses and misconduct and puts up a question mark over the integrity and impartiality of the State Election Commission. He requested the governor to take immediate cognizance of the issue and remove Sushil Kumar from his position.
The PCC president added that he has also sought meeting time from the governor. He expressed hope that the governor will act in a constitutional and impartial manner on the issue.
