‘Are you illegal MP Kharge ji?’: Kiren Rijiju slams Mallikarjun Kharge over SIR row

Opposition party’s have been demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while Congress National President demanded fresh ballot paper elections. 

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday slammed Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge over his demands to dissolve the 18th Lok Sabha and conduct fresh ballot paper elections amid the ongoing SIR row and dissent within the Election Commission of India.

Slaming Congress National President, Kiren Rijiju in an X post questioned Congress over its elected governments in several states and its authenticity.

“Are you illegal MP Kharge ji? Is Rahul Gandhi ji an illegal MP? Are Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Keralam, Punjab, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand illegal?” siad Rijiju in an X post.
“Stop insulting the Constitution of India,” he added.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s post was a reply to Mallikarjun Kharge’s earlier X post, where he demanded dissolving the house and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah illegal power holders.

“Illegal elections are being held in the country,” remarked Kharge.

“Modi is an illegal Prime Minister, Shah is an illegal Home Minister, Governments should be dissolved and elections should be held through ballots, “ said Congress National President.  

He also alleged that the BJP government is destroying democracy with the SIR.

“Modi and Shah are ruining the country through SIR, and are engaged in destroying democracy,” said Kharge.

The controversy follows the reports indicating that the two Election Commissioners recorded at least 14 formal objections between October 2025 and August 2026 concerning different phases of the SIR process and database modifications.

Following which, opposition strongly criticised the ECI over massive voter disenfranchisement and deletions from electoral rolls, particularly during the revision drives in states like Bihar.

Opposition demands Gyanesh Kumar's resignation

Opposition party’s have been demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Congress, AAP and Left  parties, and regional outfits, have been demanding the immediate resignation or criminal prosecution of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, accusing the poll panel of bias and "damage control".

Protests have erupted across the country including the Cockroach Janta Party callled aggitation in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park and Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Supreme Court to hear plea challenging decisions taken by CEC

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on October 5 a petition challenging the individual exercise of powers by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and seeking to enforce collective decision-making within the Election Commission of India.

The plea argues that Article 324 of the Constitution vests electoral powers in the multi-member Commission, not an individual CEC. It cites Section 18 of the 2023 law governing the appointment and service conditions of election commissioners, which mandates collective decisions, with majority voting in case of disagreement.

The petition refers to at least 14 objections allegedly raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi between October 2025 and August 2026 over decisions concerning electoral rolls, Form 6, foreign travel, meeting records and West Bengal tribunal appeals.

The petitioner has sought directions to ensure compliance with the collective decision-making framework and the preservation of records related to the disputed decisions.

The ECI, however, has maintained that differences among commissioners are part of normal administrative processes and do not indicate an institutional breakdown. It has also asserted that decisions, including those related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), were unanimous.
 

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