Shimla: Congress functionaries on Friday staged a protest outside the election department office in Shimla against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.The protesters raised slogans against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, wrote “Vote Chor” on the office walls, and burnt his effigy.Alleging that the SIR exercise and the decision-making process related to electoral rolls had raised several questions, the party demanded clarity from the Election Commission, along with the removal of CEC Kumar.Reacting to the protest, BJP state chief spokesperson and MLA Rakesh Jamwal said political parties had every right to hold peaceful demonstrations, but writing slogans on the walls of an election department office and burning the CEC’s effigy raised serious questions.Jamwal said Congress was in power in Himachal and asked what message was being conveyed by ruling party workers targeting a constitutional institution. He said any violation of rules or damage to public property should invite action as per law.
