Election Commission Credibility Row Continues
Opposition parties have stepped up their criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following an investigation by The Indian Express into differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI).
According to the report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally raised objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period to decisions and orders issued by the poll panel. The objections reportedly covered issues including voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes to Form 6 for new voters, and the management of electoral-roll software.
The two commissioners reportedly said some decisions were taken without their knowledge. In one written objection, a step concerning the electoral process was described as “unauthorised and illegal.” They also raised concerns about the increasing centralisation of access to voter-roll systems and wrote to the Cabinet Secretary over issues involving the software used for electoral rolls.
The report has triggered a strong political response from opposition parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded action against Kumar and questioned the functioning of the Election Commission. Other opposition leaders have also raised concerns about the transparency of the poll panel and its handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has rejected the opposition’s allegations. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned the basis of the claims and argued that the Election Commission’s procedures are legally valid. He also criticised Gandhi’s statements and questioned the evidence behind the allegations.
The Election Commission has maintained that written notes, suggestions and differences of opinion are part of its internal functioning. Reports have also noted that the three commissioners continued to appear together at several public briefings during the period in which the objections were recorded.
The controversy comes amid the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The exercise has involved reviewing voter records, including additions, deletions and restoration of names. The Election Commission’s handling of the process has already faced political and legal scrutiny.
The dispute has now placed the internal functioning of the Election Commission under increased public attention. The allegations made in the Indian Express investigation, the Election Commission’s response and the political reactions are likely to remain part of the debate over electoral-roll management and the independence of the poll panel.