Election Commission row intensifies as opposition leaders including Rahul, Stalin target SIR
A fresh political confrontation has erupted over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, after reports that two election commissioners had raised objections during internal deliberations.
Opposition leaders including DMK president M K Stalin have demanded that the SIR exercise be stopped and have intensified their criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, has argued that the reported differences among election commissioners demonstrate that internal discussion is taking place within the poll panel.
A report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised concerns about issues including voter deletions and the decision-making process on 14 occasions over recent months.
The Election Commission responded by saying that differences of opinion during the preparation of decisions are a normal feature of institutional functioning. It maintained that the final orders and decisions of the Commission had been unanimous during the previous year.
The poll panel said written observations, suggestions and internal scrutiny are part of its procedures and are intended to ensure legal compliance and protect voters’ interests.
The Commission also said that its decisions are taken under the constitutional framework of Article 324 and relevant legislation, including the 2023 law governing the appointment and service conditions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.
According to the Commission, officials and commissioners are entitled to raise questions or suggest changes during the drafting stage. It said such exchanges should not be viewed separately from the final decisions approved by the full Commission.
The Commission further pointed to several electoral initiatives and roll-revision exercises undertaken during the past year, describing them as decisions reached unanimously.
The BJP said the existence of differing views during internal discussions was evidence of democratic deliberation rather than institutional breakdown.
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi repeated his allegations concerning irregularities in the electoral process and accused the Election Commission and the ruling establishment of responsibility.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said 73 opposition Rajya Sabha MPs had submitted a fresh notice seeking the removal of Gyanesh Kumar on April 24, 2026. He questioned whether the pending notice would now be taken up by the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the Chief Election Commissioner of acting in the interests of the Union government, while party leader Abhishek Singhvi called for Kumar to step down.
DMK president MK Stalin also demanded Kumar’s resignation and called for the SIR exercise to be halted. Stalin said the findings reported by The Indian Express warranted scrutiny of the Election Commission’s functioning and alleged political interference in the electoral process.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, reiterated that it remains committed to carrying out its constitutional responsibilities and said its digital systems and electoral databases are protected through established security and audit procedures.