'Remove Gyanesh Kumar': Opposition after report flags major rift in ECI

Opposition parties slammed CEC Gyanesh Kumar after an investigation by The Indian Express claimed there is a major rift within the poll panel over decisions related to SIR and electoral rolls

Opposition parties on Wednesday slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after an investigation by The Indian Express claimed that two Election Commissioners had objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders that were allegedly taken without their knowledge.

 

According to the report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected to decisions concerning voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes to Form 6 and the management of the electoral roll.

 

A PTI report citing Election Commission officials claimed that Sandhu and Vivek Joshi did raise issues related to the deletion of names in electoral rolls in various states and the handling of voter databases. However, all ECI decisions, including those related to the pan-India SIR, were unanimous and had the approval of all three commissioners, the officials claimed. 

'Vote chori' is direct attack on Constitution: Rahul Gandhi

In a post on X, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi said, "Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our Constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served."

 

 

He also posted a video in which he said, "My message to the Election Commission and its officers is clear: whatever you are doing is wrong, and there will be a time when we will catch you. You won't be spared."

 

Earlier in the day, the Congress also said the Indian Express report supported its allegation of "vote theft", which the party has been raising.

 

"These complaints make it clear that in the three-member Election Commission, only Gyanesh Kumar's writ runs. Gyanesh is ruling like a dictator, just like his boss Modi, and is engaged in 'vote theft' to please Modi," the Congress said.

 

"We have said this before as well — Modi has captured the Election Commission. Gyanesh Kumar is Modi's puppet. This fact is proven by this report from The Indian Express. Modi and Gyanesh together have caused great damage to the country's democracy," it added. 

Akhilesh urges SC to intervene

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter. In a post on X, Yadav said, "This is extremely serious news. In the past 10 months, two Election Commissioners have registered their objections 14 times against decisions of the Election Commission. This directly means that the Election Commissioners are not able to perform their rightful duties."

 

"If members of an independent body do not have the freedom to take just decisions, or if their concerns are not heard, these are extremely dangerous circumstances for democracy," he added.

 

According to Yadav, this is nothing less than a "conspiracy to wipe out democracy". "For some people to betray democracy by becoming puppets of those in power is a grave constitutional crime. This is nothing less than a conspiracy to wipe out democracy!" he said.

TMC, CPM, RJD question ECI

TMC Parliamentary Leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien said an earlier motion seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar should now be brought before the House.

 

"Five months ago, more than 60 Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament, when only 50 were needed, wrote to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha moving a motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. That was five months ago," O'Brien said in a post on X.

 

"Now, after this big news break that two Election Commissioners objected to many of the CEC's actions, it's time to bring out the Rajya Sabha motion to remove the CEC and save democracy," he said.

 

CPI(M) MP John Brittas also said that Parliament should begin the process for the removal of the CEC.

 

"This is no longer an Election Commission. It is a one-man autocracy under CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Two Election Commissioners have formally objected 14 times in 10 months. They branded the addition of new voters and mass deletion 'unauthorised and illegal'. They recorded objections to secret deletions, restorations and Form 6 changes that harass young first-time voters, all while being kept in the dark," Brittas said in a post on X. "Parliament must immediately start the process for the removal of the CEC. We had, in fact, submitted a notice for removal on April 24, 2026, as per the constitutional stipulations, with around 70 members signing it."

 

Brittas also called for judicial intervention on the SIR process, saying, "The Supreme Court must annul the entire SIR process without delay."

 

RJD MP Manoj Jha said questions about electoral rolls raised from within the ECI needed to be addressed.

 

"When questions about who controls the electoral roll arise from within the Election Commission itself, they cannot be dismissed as an internal procedural matter. The integrity of the voter list is inseparable from the integrity of democracy," Jha said in a post on X.

ECI must not become a 'hub of politics': BJP

BJP leader Ram Kadam said the ECI was a constitutional body and should not become a political platform. "The Election Commission is a constitutional body; it cannot become a hub of politics. There should be no fake voters. Transparency is essential," Kadam told PTI.