Punjab Assembly Demands Probe Into Election Commission Irregularities

The Punjab Assembly passed a resolution on Friday demanding an independent inquiry into the Election Commission of India and the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema tabled the resolution, alleging that 14 crore voters nationwide were deleted from electoral rolls during a Special Intensive Revision. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other Aam Aadmi Party members accused the BJP of vote loot, with some members calling for a return to exclusive ballot paper voting.

Simultaneously, electoral tensions flared in Bihar during Legislative Council elections on October 23. Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav accused the Bihar government of using administrative machinery to favor ruling party candidates and orchestrating vote theft through bogus voting. In Patna, RJD candidate Sanjeev Kumar Singh alleged that police attempted a warrantless raid on his home to intimidate him and influence the election outcome.

The Election Commission of India is currently overseeing vacancies for eight members in Bihar, alongside elections in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. While the Punjab resolution calls for criminal proceedings against those responsible for electoral irregularities, Bihar's vote counting is scheduled for October 27, with the process expected to conclude by October 31.