Srinagar, Sep 25: Congress members in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday staged a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his resignation and removal from office.

The legislators entered the protest carrying placards and raised slogans against the Election Commission chief during the Assembly proceedings.

The demonstration was part of a nationwide protest programme announced by the Congress over its objections to the functioning of the Election Commission and the ongoing changes and revisions in electoral rolls.

The Congress had asked its state units to organise demonstrations on September 25, seeking Kumar’s removal and a review of decisions and electoral roll revisions carried out during his tenure.

The Election Commission has maintained that differences among its members are part of the institution’s internal deliberative process. It has also defended the procedures followed for decisions, including those related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The J&K Assembly is holding its Private Members’ Resolutions on Friday. Seven resolutions are scheduled for discussion, covering the regularisation of daily-rated and similarly placed workers, a parking master plan for Jammu East, allotment of state land to homeless families, early completion of the Lolab-Bandipora tunnel, a comprehensive jobs policy and restoration of water resources.