CH NEWS, KOPPAL Progressive, pro-people and labour organisations staged a massive protest at Ashok Circle in Koppal on Tuesday, demanding the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the dismissal of the Central Government. The protesters alleged that the Central Government had come to power through “vote theft”. After the protest, they submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India through Mahavir Kumar, Shirastedar at the Tahsildar’s office, on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner. The memorandum called for protecting the constitutional position of the Election Commission of India and safeguarding democratic values. The protesters alleged that the Election Commission is a three-member body and that major administrative decisions should be taken by majority. They claimed that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had taken unilateral decisions on technical changes and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The protesters further claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had submitted written objections against such decisions on more than 14 occasions. They demanded that all SIR circulars issued without the consensus of the full commission be withdrawn and that the SIR process be suspended immediately. They also demanded the arrest of the Chief Election Commissioner and a detailed inquiry into alleged violations of voters’ rights under the supervision of a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge. The groups also demanded the dismissal of the Central Government and appropriate constitutional action by the President. The protesters raised slogans against the SIR process and the Central Government during the demonstration. CITU district leader Khasim Sardar, Basavaraj Sheelavantar, S.A. Gaffar, Tukaram Patroti, Chand Pasha, Mudukappa Hosamani, Makbul and several labour and organisation leaders participated in the protest.