Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Kharge made the demand during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on September 29. The meeting focused on the ongoing controversy involving the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Kharge also called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation. He alleged that the Prime Minister had pressured the CEC.
These are political allegations made by the Congress president. The government and the Election Commission have rejected claims of political interference.
Congress Targets Election Commission
The CWC meeting comes amid growing criticism of the Election Commission from Congress and other opposition parties.
Congress has questioned the functioning of the poll panel during the SIR exercise. The party has also raised concerns about changes to voter rolls and the deletion of names.
Kharge said the Congress would continue its campaign against the Election Commission. He also said the issue concerns the functioning of democratic institutions.
The party has made the removal of Gyanesh Kumar a central demand.
Kharge Accuses CEC of Losing Independence
During the meeting, Kharge alleged that the Election Commission had compromised its independence.
He accused Gyanesh Kumar of acting under the influence of the government. Kharge also alleged that the CEC was favouring the ruling party.
The Economic Times reported that Kharge called for Kumar’s immediate dismissal. He also said the Prime Minister should resign on moral grounds over the alleged interference.
However, these claims have not been established by any court.
SIR Controversy Drives Congress Campaign
The Special Intensive Revision remains at the centre of the dispute.
The Election Commission has defended the SIR process. It has said that the exercise follows legal procedures and that its final decisions received unanimous approval from all three commissioners.
The ECI has also rejected suggestions of a formal split among its members. It said questions and observations raised during internal discussions form part of normal institutional deliberations.
The Congress has disputed this explanation and continues to demand greater transparency.
Congress Raises Voter Roll Concerns
Congress has also demanded detailed information about changes made to electoral rolls.
The party wants the Election Commission to disclose additions and deletions made during the revision process. It has also raised concerns about the procedures used to verify voters.
Kharge backed the party’s wider campaign over these issues during the CWC meeting.
The Congress has used the term “Vote Chori” while describing its allegations. However, the Election Commission has rejected the allegations and defended its voter-list procedures.
CWC Discusses Further Strategy
The CWC meeting was convened to decide the Congress’s next steps.
Kharge had announced the meeting a day earlier. At that time, he said the party would discuss the Election Commission controversy and gather suggestions from CWC members.
He had also said Congress would “fight this seriously” and continue its campaign over the issue.
The meeting therefore comes as Congress seeks to coordinate its response at both political and institutional levels.
INDIA Bloc Meeting Also Planned
The Election Commission controversy is not limited to Congress.
Opposition parties are also preparing to discuss the issue together. The INDIA bloc is scheduled to meet on September 30.
The meeting is expected to focus on the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission. The parties may also discuss a coordinated response to the demand for action against Gyanesh Kumar.
The proposed meeting could bring several opposition parties together on the issue.
Election Commission Defends Its Decisions
The ECI has maintained that all SIR-related decisions were taken unanimously.
The Commission has also said that the three Election Commissioners participate in internal discussions before final decisions are taken.
According to the ECI, differences in questions or observations during deliberations do not amount to institutional disagreement. The Commission has also announced additional measures to assist voters during the revision process.
The BJP has supported the Election Commission’s position and rejected Congress’s allegations.
Legal Challenges Add to Pressure
The political dispute has also moved into the courts.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition questioning the functioning and decision-making process of the Election Commission under Gyanesh Kumar.
The petition raises questions about decisions allegedly taken without the concurrence of the other Election Commissioners. The court has not yet ruled on these allegations.
The upcoming hearing could therefore bring further scrutiny to the legal framework governing the poll panel.
Congress Plans to Continue Campaign
Kharge’s latest remarks show that Congress intends to keep the Election Commission issue at the centre of its political campaign.
The party has demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s removal. It has also called for greater transparency in electoral-roll revisions.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission continues to defend its decisions. The government has also rejected allegations of interference.
For now, the controversy involves competing claims from the Congress, the BJP and the Election Commission. The upcoming INDIA bloc meeting and Supreme Court hearing could provide further developments in the dispute.