Opposition Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal and Arrest, Calls for Immediate Halt to SIR
Demands intensify after report says two Election Commissioners raised 14 objections over electoral roll decisions
New Delhi: A major political controversy has erupted following a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised formal objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months regarding decisions related to electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The Indian Express reported that the two Election Commissioners had objected to several decisions concerning the addition, deletion and restoration of voter names, changes to Form 6 and the management of the electoral roll database. According to the report, they said some decisions had been taken without their knowledge.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion of a division within the poll panel. Sources cited by the Commission said that written notes, suggestions and differing views are part of its internal process and maintained that decisions, including those related to the nationwide SIR, were ultimately taken unanimously.
The report triggered strong reactions from Opposition parties. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of wrongdoing and revived his allegation of “vote chori”. He described the alleged actions as an attack on the Constitution and used the term “treason” while warning election officials that they would eventually be held accountable.
Several Opposition leaders have demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for the SIR exercise to be stopped or reviewed. Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray went further by demanding Kumar’s removal and arrest, while AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal also called for the cancellation of SIR and Kumar’s arrest.
The Opposition has cited the reported objections by Sandhu and Joshi, including concerns over voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes to electoral procedures and the centralisation of electoral database systems. Opposition leaders argue that these developments require scrutiny and have called for Parliament and other constitutional institutions to examine the matter.
The controversy comes as the SIR exercise continues across several states and Union Territories. The Indian Express reported that more than 13 crore names had been left out of draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union Territories since the exercise began in Bihar in 2025, although the reasons for exclusion vary and the electoral process provides mechanisms for claims and appeals.
The dispute is now centred on whether the reported internal objections represent a serious disagreement within the Election Commission or are part of its normal process of internal review. While Opposition parties are demanding accountability and a pause to SIR, the Election Commission maintains that its decisions have been taken through the established institutional process and with unanimity.