The demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has sharpened as opposition parties intensify protests and the dispute may reach the courts. Beyond the political clash lies a deeper issue: what transpired within the Election Commission when two of its three members repeatedly raised objections to decisions on the electoral rolls?
Investigations by The Indian Express found that Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over ten months. Their concerns spanned new voter registrations, deletions and restorations, access to the electoral database, and the software that manages the rolls. A key point of contention involved a new declaration attached to Form 6, used by citizens seeking inclusion in the roll. The declaration, which asked applicants whether their name or that of a parent or grandparent appeared in a prior roll, was added in May without a rule amendment. Sandhu described the change as “unauthorised and illegal” and urged its removal.
The controversy also touched on the centralisation of the electoral database. Traditionally, the Commission has defended the integrity of rolls through a decentralised structure, with Electoral Registration Officers exercising statutory authority at the constituency level. The two Commissioners questioned whether increased control from the Commission’s headquarters weakened that safeguard. Allegations that software manipulation caused the deletion of 8.7 crore voters remain unverified without documentary evidence, yet the Commissioners raised serious concerns about the integrity and oversight of the IT system.
The core question persists: how were decisions affecting millions of voters made despite repeated objections from two of its own members? The public deserves a clear, credible account rather than general assurances.
