NEW DELHI: The reported objections raised by two Election Commissioners to decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls triggered a major political confrontation on Wednesday, with opposition parties demanding action against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, an immediate halt to the SIR exercise and fresh elections in states where polls have already been held.The ruling BJP, however, defended the Election Commission, saying differences expressed by Election Commissioners during internal deliberations showed that the poll panel was functioning democratically rather than under a “dictatorial” system.The political row followed a media report which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR process and electoral rolls.The Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that the reported objections indicated a breakdown in its functioning.It said differing views and observations were a normal part of institutional deliberations and maintained that its decisions, including those concerning SIR, had been taken unanimously.
Opposition demands CEC’s removal, arrest
Opposition parties, which have been criticising the EC over the SIR exercise, seized on the report to renew their demands for action against Gyanesh Kumar.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his “vote chori” allegation against the Election Commission, describing it as “a crime against the people of India” and an attack on the Constitution.“The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served,” Rae Bareli MP said.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said 73 Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs had submitted a fresh notice on April 24, seeking Kumar’s removal.He questioned whether the Rajya Sabha chairman would decide on the pending notice since the Monsoon Session of Parliament had not yet been prorogued.Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal went further, demanding that Kumar be removed and arrested.“Gyanesh Kumar should be immediately sacked and jailed,” Thackeray said.He also demanded that the last elections in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu be nullified and fresh polls held in the three states using ballot papers.Kejriwal demanded that the entire SIR exercise be cancelled, all changes made under it be reversed and the voter list from three years ago be restored. He also called for Kumar’s arrest and registration of a sedition case against him.TMC MP Derek O’Brien said, “Impeach CEC to save democracy.”Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also demanded Kumar’s arrest and said he had “no moral authority to continue”.“This is such a scandalous story. We had never seen this in our lives. This Election Commissioner must be arrested. He has no moral authority to continue, and the BJP must see that they cannot destroy our Constitution. They cannot demolish democracy,” Banerjee said.
Fresh polls demanded in Bihar, West Bengal
The Opposition’s demands also extended to fresh elections in states where polls have already taken place.RJD leader and Bihar leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav demanded fresh elections in Bihar and West Bengal, alleging that the electoral mandates in the two states had been compromised through electoral fraud and institutional manipulation.“The opposition did not lose elections on the ground; the results were orchestrated by PM Modi and Amit Shah. In 2020, we were defeated through manipulation, and the same script was executed in 2025. Voter lists were purged, money was distributed, and counting was manipulated. The electoral outcomes in Bihar and Bengal are fraudulent, and we demand that fresh, transparent elections be held,” he said.Yadav also questioned changes to the rules governing the preservation of voting and counting records, alleging that the period had been reduced from one year to 45 days.He said this could make it difficult for parties to approach courts without access to election-related evidence.DMK president M K Stalin demanded Kumar’s resignation and an immediate halt to the SIR exercise. He also sought a fair probe “into everything that transpired within the EC and those responsible should be held accountable”, according to news agency PTI.Stalin alleged that the report had raised doubts about the results of Assembly elections held after the SIR exercise and said his party had consistently opposed the deletion of voters from electoral rolls in the name of SIR.
Akhilesh, Omar question EC functioning
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said governments formed during a period when the Election Commission was not functioning impartially were “unconstitutional”.“This means that the governments which have been formed during this period are unconstitutional governments,” Yadav said.He alleged that interference in the poll panel amounted to “trampling” democracy and urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the Centre and the Election Commission needed to take corrective steps to prevent people from losing faith in elections.“Corrective action needs to be taken somewhere. Otherwise, if people lose faith in elections, what remains of a democracy? Elections are the very foundations of a democracy. If people lose faith in elections, why would they even participate in them? I feel the Election Commission and the government of India need to reflect on this,” Abdullah said.He also said the report raised questions about the functioning of the poll panel and referred to his earlier concerns over the electoral process.
BJP says EC differences show ‘pure democracy’
The BJP rejected the Opposition’s allegations and defended the reported differences between the Election Commissioners.Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said differing views during official deliberations showed that the poll panel was functioning democratically.“The media reports saying that the election commissioners shared differing views in official deliberations is a reflection of pure democracy,” Patra said.“If there is no communication and exchange of views among the election commissioners who conduct polls, the opposition parties would allege ‘dictatorship’ and call them ‘yes men’ of the government,” he said.Patra said the Election Commission’s response showed that neither the poll panel nor other constitutional bodies were functioning under a “dictatorial rule”.“This shows that the Election Commission (EC) and all other constitutional bodies are functioning in a democratic manner and upholding the democracy of the country,” he said.
EC says all decisions were unanimous
Responding to the media report, the Election Commission said written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks and balances were standard practices within a multi-member constitutional body.“The ECI is a constitutional body that functions under the strict mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, statutory rules and established institutional conventions. The Commission operates as a multi-member constitutional body. Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks-and-balances are standard, ongoing practices designed to ensure complete transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour,” it said.The commission said all official orders, decisions and administrative directions carried full legal sanction and followed established statutory procedures. It added that operational queries or inputs raised by members during the drafting stage were part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights and improving electoral processes.The EC further said differing views and observations were a normal part of deliberation before a final decision was taken.
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“Not only the three Commissioners, but every officer of the Commission is fully authorised to give his suggestions to the Commission for improving the electoral system,” it said.The commission said focusing on specific internal notes and observations over 10 months while overlooking its wider body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives presented only one part of the picture.It said it had taken numerous decisions, issued instructions and introduced around 40 new initiatives and electoral reforms, including electoral-roll revision and SIR across the country.“All these decisions are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full Commission in the past one year,” the EC said.The commission also pointed to the conduct of elections in Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal during the period and said it remained committed to carrying out its constitutional duties.