Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao said CEC Gyanesh Kumar must resign, asserting that nothing is greater than the Constitution of India and that no Indian citizen can be stripped of their right to vote.In a post on X, the former minister said, “No individual is above the institution. This nation has seen many individuals come and go, and it has stayed strong; it has survived beautifully. So why this desperation to protect one man? How can one man be greater than the rights of 1.4 billion Indians? Time’s up for Gyanesh Kumar and for anyone trying to build a quasi-system that destroys the soul of this great nation. We the BRS party, reiterate our demand that SC needs to take suo moto cognisance of the irregularities in SIR process and order an independent investigation headed by a sitting judge.”Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao also demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. In a post on X, Harish said the ECI was the “backbone of democracy” and not a “protective shield for those in power.” He alleged that when a constitutional institution loses public trust, those heading it lose the moral authority to continue in office.Demanding accountability, Harish said the CEC should take full responsibility for any action that undermines citizens’ voting rights. He asserted that no authority has the right to deprive eligible citizens of their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. The BRS leader also expressed concern over the process of appointing election commissioners.Such concerns, he said, posed a serious threat to India’s constitutional democracy. Harish emphasised that ECI must function in a completely impartial and transparent manner in accordance with Articles 324, 325 and 326 of the Constitution and the provisions of the Representation of the People Act. He maintained that democratic values and institutions were superior to any individual, govt or political party. “Democracy is greater than individuals and govts. The ECI exists to safeguard people’s mandate and voting rights,” he said.
