Omar Abdullah mocks Padma Bhushan honour for election chief, demands Bharat Ratna
The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister sharpened opposition attacks on Gyanesh Kumar as the INDIA bloc met to discuss the poll panel.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday delivered a pointed rebuke over the Padma Bhushan honour awarded to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, sarcastically demanding that the government go further and bestow upon him the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.
Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said the Election Commission of India should engage in some soul-searching, framing his remarks as a broader challenge to the poll body's credibility and independence.
His comments came as opposition grouping INDIA held a meeting to coordinate its response to Kumar's continued tenure. The gathering followed a demand by the Congress Working Committee that Kumar be removed from office, with the party describing him as a puppet of the ruling BJP.
The Election Commission has faced sustained criticism from opposition parties over its conduct, and the latest controversy signals that pressure on the institution is likely to intensify ahead of upcoming electoral contests.
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