Former Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh has criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the removal of names from electoral rolls, particularly those of voters added after 2003.
In a recent open letter shared on social media, Singh alleged that voter names were being removed without valid reasons, proper enquiry or giving affected voters an adequate opportunity to appeal. He described the process as illegal and raised concerns about its impact on voters.
Singh referred to Section 21 of election law, arguing that special revisions of electoral rolls should be carried out only in specific circumstances and with written reasons. He questioned whether the required procedures were being followed during the nationwide revision.
He also criticised the addition of a new appendix to Form 6, which is used for voter registration. According to Singh, the change was not properly authorised and could make it more difficult for young people to register as voters.
Singh further questioned how objections to voter registrations were processed and who handled large numbers of objections. He claimed that some genuine voters, particularly people from poor and underprivileged communities, could be affected by the process.
He alleged that more than 13 crore names had been deleted so far and argued that such large-scale changes could have an impact on elections.
Singh called on opposition parties to unite and demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners. He also urged opposition parties to consider boycotting upcoming elections and called for elections without electronic voting machines, citing concerns about their security.
He additionally criticised the Supreme Court’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision case, describing it as a serious moment for Indian democracy. Singh said that delays in addressing concerns surrounding the appointment and functioning of election commissioners could further affect public confidence in the electoral process.