The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Tuesday demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and restoration of what the party claims are 13 crore 30 lakh names removed from voter lists.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion that the reported objections amounted to institutional dissent. The resolutions were adopted at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi amid an escalating political dispute over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls. The Congress alleged that the election process was being compromised and accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of failing to act independently. The party also raised questions over the functioning of the three-member Election Commission, alleging that important decisions were being taken without adequate consultation with the other two Election Commissioners. He also questioned the decision-making process behind SIR and asked why the other two Election Commissioners were allegedly excluded from the internal portal. “Is it wrong to ask who took the decision of SIR? Is it wrong to ask why two Election Commissioners were kept out of the Internal Portal? He listed five demands: publication of complete data on major changes to voter lists; information and an opportunity to appeal for voters whose names have been removed; timely access for political parties to electoral-roll data; independent and time-bound investigations into serious discrepancies; and greater transparency in key election-related data and decisions. It has maintained that decisions relating to SIR were taken with the unanimous approval of the Commission. The ECI currently comprises CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The concerns followed an Indian Express report which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over 10 months on decisions and procedures linked to SIR. The report referred to objections concerning voter additions and deletions, changes to Form 6 and the handling of voter data. The party also questioned the constitutional basis of the process, arguing that shifting the burden on citizens to establish their eligibility to vote, without what it considers adequate safeguards, could conflict with constitutional guarantees under Articles 14 and 326. The party said the measures were particularly important ahead of Assembly elections in five states in 2027. The controversy intensified after The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on at least 14 occasions over SIR-related decisions.
The Congress said the concentration of control over electoral rolls during the nationwide SIR raised questions about the transparency and credibility of the exercise. Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stepped up the attack on the CEC, accusing him of becoming a “puppet” of the Modi government. “Names are being removed from voter lists through calculated conspiracies, and the Chief Election Commissioner has become a puppet of the Modi government,” Kharge said. Was something secretive going on,” Kharge said. Kharge said the Congress wanted an Election Commission strong enough to command the confidence of both the ruling party and the Opposition. The report said the objections included issues concerning voter registration, deletion of names and control of electoral databases.
‘This Brazen Vote Chori’
“This brazen Vote Chori has been organised by the CEC on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. Nothing short of their resignation will ensure the safety of our constitution and hard-earned democracy,” the resolution alleged. “For the Indian National Congress, the struggle to restore universal adult franchise in India is no less than the Freedom Struggle itself. The dispute over SIR and the electoral rolls is now set to remain a major political flashpoint as parties prepare for the next round of Assembly elections.
The CWC said the developments had reinforced Rahul Gandhi’s earlier allegations of “Vote Chori”, citing concerns over the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, EVMs, changes to electoral rolls and the process for appointing the CEC. “An exercise of doubtful constitutional validity cannot be allowed to decide who may vote in the world’s largest democracy,” the CWC resolution said. The CWC demanded the immediate resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, saying he had “forfeited all moral and institutional authority”. It also called for the suspension of SIR and the restoration of “the 13 crore 30 lakh names removed from the electoral rolls”. The Congress said it would continue to raise the issue in Parliament and the courts and through public protests until, in its view, accountability was established and the Election Commission was restored as an independent constitutional authority. And we will ensure that this struggle reaches its rightful conclusion,” the resolution said.
