Gyanesh Kumar faces fresh removal push as Opposition protests nationwide over SIR

Opposition parties are preparing fresh parliamentary notices seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's removal as protests over the Special Intensive Revision intensify. The move has sharpened a wider political fight over electoral rolls, internal Election Commission differences and the SIR process.

In Short

• A third parliamentary attempt is being readied while April's notice remains pending
• Earlier Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha notices were rejected by presiding officers
• Protests erupted in multiple cities, with water cannons used in Delhi

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is facing another push for his removal, with Opposition parties preparing a fresh notice in Parliament even as protests against him and the Election Commission were held across the country over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The latest move would mark the third attempt by the Opposition to initiate a fresh removal motion against Kumar, while a notice submitted by 73 Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha in April remains pending. Two earlier notices — one in the Lok Sabha and another in the Rajya Sabha — were rejected by the presiding officers.

TWO EARLIER NOTICES REJECTED

The first set of notices was submitted on March 12, 2026. In the Rajya Sabha, 63 Opposition MPs signed the notice, while a separate notice in the Lok Sabha carried the signatures of 130 MPs.

The Rajya Sabha notice was rejected by Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on April 6, while the Lok Sabha notice was rejected by Speaker Om Birla.

The Opposition then submitted another notice in the Rajya Sabha on April 24, this time signed by 73 MPs from multiple parties. It contained nine allegations of what the Opposition described as "proven misbehaviour" and sought Kumar's removal. The notice is still pending.

Opposition parties are now preparing fresh notices in both Houses, with sources saying the proposed move will include issues raised in a recent report about differences within the Election Commission over electoral-roll decisions and the SIR process.

NATIONWIDE PROTESTS AGAINST CEC

The fresh political push comes amid demonstrations against Kumar and the Election Commission in several parts of the country.

Opposition parties staged protests in Delhi, Srinagar, Patna, Ranchi and Jaipur, demanding Kumar's resignation over the SIR exercise. In Delhi, security personnel used water cannons as protesters attempted to march towards the Election Commission headquarters.

The Congress also held protests in several state capitals on September 25, with police using water cannons in places including Patna and Chandigarh. Protesters demanded Kumar's resignation and raised allegations concerning the revision of electoral rolls.

CONGRESS TO DISCUSS KUMAR'S REMOVAL

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting to discuss the issue and work out a roadmap for seeking Kumar's removal.

Kharge has cited concerns raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over the SIR exercise, changes to Form 6 for enrolling new voters, additions and deletions from electoral rolls and the handling of the electoral-roll database.

Kharge said the issue was serious and needed to be taken up on priority, while the Congress has demanded Kumar's immediate resignation.

The CWC meeting is expected to be attended by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal.

Meanwhile, at least 21 Opposition parties are expected to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to discuss a joint strategy on the issue and consider another removal notice against Kumar.

EC REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF INTERNAL BREAKDOWN

The Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that differences among its members indicate a breakdown in its functioning.

The poll panel said differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations and asserted that its SIR orders had received unanimous consent from all three Election Commissioners.

The EC has also defended changes to Form 6, saying they were upheld by the Supreme Court, and said its orders carry legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.

It has announced several measures under SIR, including additional time for filing claims, home visits by election officials and help desks for people facing notices related to deletion from electoral rolls.

REPORTED OBJECTIONS FUEL POLITICAL ROW

The latest escalation followed an Indian Express report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised at least 14 formal objections over 10 months to decisions relating to voter rolls, registration procedures and the poll body's digital systems.

Opposition parties have seized on the report to renew their allegations against Kumar and the Election Commission. The BJP, however, has defended the SIR exercise and said differences within the poll panel are part of institutional deliberations.

KUMAR'S TENURE

Kumar, a 1988-batch Kerala-cadre IAS officer, took charge as India's 26th Chief Election Commissioner on February 19, 2025. He had earlier served in senior positions in the Defence, Home, Parliamentary Affairs and Cooperation ministries.

He is due to retire on January 26, 2029, after attaining the age of 65. His tenure, therefore, still has more than two years remaining.

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