Election Commission Integrity Questioned
Rahul Gandhi Demands Election Chief Resignation Amid Allegations of Electoral Manipulation
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Key Points
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Rahul Gandhi said Gyanesh Kumar was chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and questioned the appointment process for election commissioners.
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Gandhi argued that alleged vote theft has legal consequences, saying that if votes are stolen, laws made by MPs become illegal—a point he characterized as “vote chori” leading to “kanoon chori.”
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The BBC reported that Sandhu and Joshi objected to decisions they said were taken without their knowledge; in one instance, they wrote to the government’s chief secretary.
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The Election Commission said the SIR was needed because the previous revision was nearly 25 years ago, and explained that the exercise is intended to remove names of people who have died, left the country or appear on rolls in multiple locations.
Rahul Gandhi, the main opposition leader in India's parliament, is calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign. India's News reported that Gandhi accused the Election Commission of allowing India's elections to be rigged, saying voter rolls have been manipulated and the electoral process compromised. He argued that if votes are stolen, then laws passed by parliament become illegitimate — a serious charge against India's democratic system.
The accusation follows reports that two other election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions about voter rolls and a voter registration exercise called the SIR (Special Intensive Revision). BBC reported that these commissioners said decisions were made without their knowledge. The Election Commission has defended its actions, saying disagreements between officials are normal and its decisions are legally sound.
Gandhi Questions Appointment and Motives
Gandhi directly challenged how Gyanesh Kumar was selected. India's News reported that Gandhi said the Chief Election Commissioner was chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. This appointment process raised questions for Gandhi about whether the election chief could remain independent from the ruling party's influence.
Commissioners Raised 14 Objections Over 10 Months
The Election Commission's internal conflict has now become public. BBC reported that commissioners Sandhu and Joshi objected to at least 14 decisions made over 10 months concerning voter registration processes. In one instance, they wrote directly to the government's chief secretary to lodge their concerns about decisions they said were taken without their input or knowledge.
Election Commission Defends Voter Roll Updates
The Election Commission maintains it has done nothing wrong. Officials said the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) was needed because the previous voter roll update happened nearly 25 years ago. The exercise removes names of people who died, moved abroad, or appear on multiple voter rolls — a routine administrative task, they argued. The Commission said disagreements between officials are normal safeguards, not proof of corruption.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale defended the election body against Gandhi's calls for the commissioner's resignation. Athawale's Statement said the Election Commission is responsible for cleaning up voter rolls and that Gandhi's demands do not change this fact. The government has backed the Election Commission's work on the voter registration process.
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