Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sharply criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on September 29.
Kharge accused Kumar of acting as a “puppet” of the BJP-led government. He also demanded the CEC’s immediate removal from office.
Kharge made the remarks while addressing the ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Congress has raised several concerns about voter-list changes and the functioning of the Election Commission.
However, these are allegations made by the Congress. The Election Commission has rejected claims that its final decisions lacked collective approval.
Kharge Demands Removal of Gyanesh Kumar
Kharge alleged that the Election Commission’s independence had been compromised under Gyanesh Kumar.
He accused the CEC of favouring the ruling party. Kharge also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pressured the poll panel.
The Congress president further called for Modi’s resignation on moral grounds over the alleged pressure on the CEC. The government has not accepted these allegations.
The demand for Kumar’s removal has become a major part of Congress’s campaign against the Election Commission.
Congress Lists Five Demands
During the CWC meeting, Kharge listed five demands linked to electoral-roll revisions.
The first demand calls for full disclosure of changes made to electoral rolls. Congress wants detailed information about additions and deletions.
The second demand seeks an appeal opportunity for voters whose names are removed. The party wants affected voters to receive a clear process to challenge their exclusion.
The third demand asks the Election Commission to provide electoral-roll data to political parties in an accessible format. Congress says parties need usable information to examine changes.
The fourth demand calls for an independent and time-bound investigation wherever serious irregularities are found.
Finally, Congress has demanded greater transparency in the election process. The party says voters should have confidence that electoral information is not being withheld.
SIR Remains at the Centre of Dispute
The demands come amid the ongoing debate over the Special Intensive Revision.
The SIR process has involved verification and revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have raised concerns about the deletion of voter names and the procedures used during the exercise.
Congress has repeatedly questioned the Election Commission’s handling of the process.
The party has also used the phrase “Vote Chori” to describe its allegations regarding voter-list changes. The Election Commission, however, has rejected such allegations and defended its procedures.
ECI Says Decisions Were Unanimous
The Election Commission has maintained that its final decisions on the SIR exercise were unanimous.
The clarification came after reports about differences between the CEC and the other two Election Commissioners.
The ECI said commissioners can raise questions, offer suggestions and record observations during internal discussions. According to the Commission, such deliberations do not mean that final decisions lacked collective approval.
The Commission has also announced additional measures aimed at improving transparency in its internal functioning.
These include sharing meeting agendas in advance and issuing minutes after meetings.
Congress Says Voter Rights Need Protection
Kharge said Congress would continue its campaign over voter-list changes.
The party has argued that eligible citizens should not lose their voting rights because of errors or unclear procedures.
Congress also wants voters to have a straightforward way to challenge exclusions. It has therefore placed appeals and disclosure at the centre of its five demands.
Kharge said the party would raise the issue both inside and outside Parliament.
Political Debate Intensifies
The CWC meeting comes as the political dispute over the Election Commission grows.
Congress has organised protests in several parts of the country. The party has demanded Kumar’s removal and greater scrutiny of the SIR process.
The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the Election Commission and rejected Congress’s allegations.
The Election Commission has also maintained that its actions followed the applicable legal framework.
As a result, the issue has become a wider political debate over electoral transparency and institutional functioning.
Supreme Court to Hear ECI-Related Plea
The controversy has also reached the Supreme Court.
The court has agreed to hear a petition questioning aspects of the Election Commission’s functioning under Gyanesh Kumar. The plea raises questions about decision-making within the three-member Commission.
The Supreme Court has not yet made any finding against Kumar or the Election Commission.
The upcoming hearing could therefore bring judicial scrutiny to some of the legal questions raised during the SIR controversy.
INDIA Bloc to Discuss Election Commission Row
The Congress campaign is also taking place alongside wider Opposition coordination.
INDIA bloc parties are expected to meet on September 30 in New Delhi. The proposed meeting is expected to focus on the Election Commission, the SIR exercise and the Opposition’s response to the controversy.
The meeting could provide an opportunity for opposition parties to discuss a common approach to the issue.
Meanwhile, Congress has indicated that it will continue raising its demands.
Kharge Says Congress Will Continue Campaign
Kharge’s remarks at the CWC meeting have placed electoral-roll transparency at the centre of the Congress campaign.
The party has demanded Kumar’s removal. It has also called for full disclosure of electoral-roll changes, appeal mechanisms, accessible voter data, independent investigations and greater transparency.
The Election Commission continues to defend its procedures and says its final SIR decisions were unanimous.
For now, the controversy remains unresolved. The Congress campaign, the INDIA bloc meeting and the upcoming Supreme Court hearing could bring further developments in the dispute over the Election Commission and electoral-roll revisions.