Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has filed a police complaint against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the management and revision of electoral rolls. Moitra submitted the complaint at the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi on September 24.
The complaint comes amid a wider political controversy over the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and reports of disagreements among members of the poll panel. Moitra has accused the CEC of taking unilateral decisions and alleged that changes to the voter registration process affected the electoral rolls.
Mahua Moitra Approaches Delhi Police
Moitra submitted her complaint at the Parliament Street Police Station and sought action against Gyanesh Kumar.
The TMC MP alleged that the Election Commission’s handling of electoral-roll management involved procedural violations. She also questioned whether certain decisions had received the required approval within the multi-member commission.
Moitra’s allegations are political and legal claims contained in her complaint. They have not been established by a court or investigation.
The police had received the complaint and were examining it. According to a report by The Telegraph, an officer said the complaint was under verification and an FIR had not been registered as of Thursday evening.
Allegations Over Electoral Roll Management
Moitra has alleged that the Election Commission’s IT systems bypassed officials who are responsible for maintaining electoral rolls at the local level.
She questioned the process through which voter information was added, deleted or modified. According to her complaint, the centralised handling of electoral-roll data raised questions about the role of local election officials.
The TMC MP also alleged that the Commission made changes to Form 6, the form used by people seeking inclusion in the electoral roll as new voters.
Dispute Over Changes to Form 6
One of the main issues raised by Moitra concerns an additional question reportedly introduced into Form 6 during the SIR process.
She alleged that the revised form included a question asking whether an applicant or their parents or grandparents were linked to the earlier electoral-roll revision process.
Moitra argued that such a change required an amendment to the relevant rules rather than an administrative alteration to the form.
Her claim followed reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections to changes involving Form 6. Reports said the two commissioners questioned whether the statutory form could be changed without modifying the relevant rules.
Reports of Internal Differences in Election Commission
The complaint also comes after reports of disagreements within the Election Commission.
An investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions and orders linked to the SIR process. The reported issues included voter additions, deletions, restoration of names and changes to the voter-registration system.
Moitra has cited these reports to support her argument that some decisions were taken without the agreement of the other commissioners.
The Election Commission, however, has disputed the suggestion of an institutional breakdown. According to reports, the poll panel has said that written notes, observations and internal discussions are part of normal deliberations within a multi-member constitutional body.
Election Commission Defends Its Decision-Making Process
The ECI has maintained that its official decisions carry legal sanction and that final decisions relating to the SIR were taken through the Commission’s established process.
The reported differences between commissioners therefore remain a matter of interpretation. Opposition leaders have cited the objections as evidence of concerns within the poll panel, while the Election Commission has described internal discussion and disagreement as part of institutional functioning.
This distinction is important because the allegations in Moitra’s complaint remain subject to verification and any subsequent legal process.
Moitra Questions Legal Immunity
Moitra also questioned the legal protection available to members of the Election Commission under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
She argued that the statutory protection should not prevent action if an individual commissioner acted outside the scope of official duties.
The legal interpretation of that protection could become relevant if authorities proceed with the complaint. Moitra’s position on the issue differs from the broader legal protections cited by the Election Commission.
Wider Political Row Over SIR
The complaint is part of a larger political dispute over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The SIR process involves reviewing electoral records and updating voter lists. Supporters of the exercise describe it as a mechanism for maintaining accurate electoral rolls, while Opposition parties have raised concerns about deletions, documentation requirements and the process used to verify voters.
In West Bengal, the issue has attracted particular attention because of the scale of changes to the electoral rolls. The Election Commission has defended the deletions as part of the verification process and has said voters have avenues to appeal.
Police Yet to Decide on FIR
Moitra has sought an FIR based on the allegations contained in her complaint. However, the police had not registered an FIR by Thursday evening, according to The Telegraph.
The complaint remains subject to police verification. Any investigation would determine whether the allegations disclose offences and whether further legal action is warranted.
Controversy Over Election Commission Continues
Mahua Moitra’s complaint adds another development to the ongoing dispute over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral-roll revision.
The TMC MP has alleged procedural violations, changes to voter-registration procedures and manipulation of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions followed the institution’s established processes.
With the SIR exercise continuing, the focus is now on how authorities respond to Moitra’s complaint and whether the allegations lead to a formal investigation. The reported differences among Election Commissioners and the competing claims about the poll panel’s decision-making process are also likely to remain part of the wider debate over electoral-roll management.