Election Commission Row: Everything You Need To Know About SIR Controversy & CJP’s Ultimatum
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is facing renewed scrutiny following reports of internal disagreements among its three commissioners, with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announcing a 48-hour deadline for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
An investigation by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded their objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months.
According to the report, the two commissioners raised concerns that certain decisions were being taken in the name of the full commission without their knowledge or approval, describing some of the actions as “unauthorised and illegal”.
CJP Threatens Nationwide Agitation If Election Chief Gyanesh Kumar Doesn’t Resign In 48 Hours
The reported disagreements relate to several aspects of the electoral process, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the process for enrolling new voters, the security of voter data, and the functioning of the ECI-Net software used by Electoral Registration Officers.
The CJP has now entered the issue with a set of demands following an emergency press conference in New Delhi.
The party has called for Gyanesh Kumar’s immediate resignation and announced a 48-hour countdown.
CJP National Convener Abhijeet Dipke said the party would move from media campaigns to nationwide street protests if the deadline expires without the CEC stepping down.
The party has also demanded a halt to ongoing electoral processes linked to the SIR and a rollback to the January 2025 voter list.
Another demand is the repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners, along with an independent inquiry into decisions concerning voter database management.
The CJP has warned of a nationwide agitation, including a proposed demonstration in Delhi that it has termed “Jantar Mantar 2.0”.
According to the party, it is coordinating with student unions and youth groups as part of its planned mobilisation.
The controversy has also drawn reactions from opposition parties.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders have raised allegations concerning electoral rolls and demanded an investigation.
‘100% Sure All Elections Rigged’: Rahul Gandhi Demands Removal Of Election Chief Gyanesh Kumar
The Left parties, including the CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML)L, have announced a week-long nationwide protest from September 26 to October 2 over the issue.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has separately called for criminal prosecution of Kumar, alleging that the SIR exercise has resulted in the exclusion or deletion of more than 13 crore voters.
The allegation has been disputed and remains part of the wider political confrontation over the revision process.
Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders have also said that they are preparing a notice seeking action against the CEC through the constitutional process.
Gandhi has alleged a broader “vote chori” system and has named Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his political criticism of the process.
At the state level, opposition workers in states including Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have announced protests outside the offices of Chief Electoral Officers and district administrations.
The BJP has rejected the opposition’s allegations, describing the controversy as politically motivated and defending the electoral data revision process and its security measures.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, has rejected suggestions of an institutional breakdown. The poll panel has said that differences of opinion are part of decision-making and maintained that the commission’s final decisions were unanimous. It has also argued that focusing only on internal disagreements presents only one part of the overall decision-making process.
