‘Mastermind, treason, biggest scam’: Opposition attacks Gyanesh Kumar after report claims ECI dissent

The EC said written notes, suggestions and differing views were a normal part of its internal process.

Opposition leaders on Wednesday demanded strict action against Gyanesh Kumar following a news report claiming internal dissent within the poll body over decisions taken under the election commission chief's leadership.

Oppn leaders Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal attacked CEC Gyanesh Kumar over an Indian Express report. (PTI/HT)

While some leaders demanded that future elections not be held under Kumar, others called for his removal, arrest or a review of recent polls.

The reactions followed a report by The Indian Express that said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised written objections at least 14 times over 10 months saying they weren't told about decisions taken in the commission's name. The ECI has countered the claims and said “internal checks-and-balances were standard” practice but decisions were ultimately taken unanimously.

Rahul Gandhi claims ‘vote chori’

Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, reacting to the report, called alleged “vote chori” a “crime against the Indian people” and a direct attack on the Constitution.

In a video message, Gandhi told Election Commission officials: “I am clearly telling the Election Commission and election officers: What you are doing is wrong. This is treason, it is against the nation. Do not forget this. The time will come! We will catch you! You will not be spared.”

Akhilesh demands future polls not be held under Kumar

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the report raised serious questions about the Election Commission.

“Fourteen times in 10 months, senior officers of EC have written note about wrong doings. This is a danger to our constitution and democracy,” Yadav said at a press conference.

He alleged that his party had previously complained about deletion of voters’ names but that no action was taken. He also alleged that the “UP model” had been implemented in West Bengal and Bihar.

“We demand that any future elections should not be held under Gyanesh Kumar,” Yadav said. He also alleged that concerns over electoral rolls could eventually affect voting rights.

Kejriwal demands arrest, fresh elections

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal demanded Kumar’s arrest, prosecution and called for recent elections in Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra to be annulled and held again.

Kejriwal described Kumar as the “mastermind” behind electoral manipulation. He also claimed the three-member Commission had been bypassed through unilateral orders.

“For several months, meetings of the Election Commission have not been taking place, while Gyanesh Kumar has continued issuing orders on his own. Therefore, the entire SIR process, through which 13 crore names have been deleted across the country, is illegal because the Election Commission has not officially approved it,” he said.

“So today, we demand that the entire SIR process be cancelled, that all changes made under SIR be cancelled, and that the voter list from three years ago be restored,” Kejriwal added.

He also alleged that Electoral Registration Officers had been denied proper access to voter databases and questioned changes to Form 6.

"There cannot be a bigger scam in this country than this. If the entire voter list is being prepared from the Election Commission's central office, and if the voter list is not being prepared by the ERO or by the SDM, then the voter list of the entire country has effectively become compromised," he added.

Thackeray demands Kumar’s removal

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also demanded Kumar’s removal and said the two Election Commissioners raised concerns over the functioning of the poll panel.

“We all opposition parties for last few years raising voice over the invalid and anti democratic acts, decisions of ECI. Now the two election commissioners have raised their voice and also wrote to cabinet secretary,” Thackeray said.

“Taking note of this Prime minister Narendra Modi should immediately sack Gyanesh Kumar. All opposition parties need to unite on this issue to ensure that the CEC will be removed,” he added.

Thackeray also demanded that Kumar be put behind bars.

Manish Tiwari alleges 'invisible hand'

Congress MP Manish Tiwari said the report raised questions about whether someone outside the ECI was influencing its functioning.

"If the two Election Commissioners were repeatedly objecting to each and every decision which was being taken with regard to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and the revision still continued to go on, this means that there is an invisible hand beyond the Election Commission which seems to be running the commission," Tiwari said, as per ANI.

He referred to the rules governing the functioning of the three-member poll panel and said decisions are to be taken unanimously or, where there is disagreement, by majority.

Sanjay Singh calls SIR ‘electoral loot’

AAP MP Sanjay Singh described SIR as “electoral loot” and accused Kumar of continuing with decisions despite objections from the other commissioners.

“Reports mention dissent being expressed 14 times. And every time, the point that emerged was that the two Election Commissioners were telling him, 'Sir, your method is wrong. This centralized system you are creating to delete and add votes is improper.' Yet, Gyanesh Kumar continued to take unilateral decisions,” Singh said.

He also demanded that elections held under Kumar be cancelled and conducted again.

Chidambaram seeks review of ECI decisions

Congress leader P Chidambaram said that if the Indian Express report was correct, it raised questions about both individual decisions and the Commission’s decision-making process.

He called for recent ECI decisions to be reviewed by a Parliamentary Committee and demanded that SIR be suspended.

Other Opposition leaders, including TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, RJD MP Manoj Jha, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan and CPI(M) MP John Brittas, also criticised the poll panel or sought action against Kumar.

What the report said

The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders concerning voter-list changes, SIR, Form 6 and access to electoral-roll data.

The report said they also flagged the “gradual centralisation” of the electoral-roll database. In one written objection, Sandhu reportedly described action taken against the commissioners’ written advice as “unauthorised and illegal”.

ECI counters report

The Election Commission said written notes, suggestions and differing views were a normal part of its internal process and helped ensure “transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour”.

The poll panel said all official orders and decisions had “full legal sanctions” and followed statutory procedures. It said objections raised during the draft stage were part of routine deliberations aimed at improving electoral processes and protecting voter rights.

The ECI also said focusing on 14 internal notes “while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives” presented only one side of the picture.

“All these decisions are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full Commission in the past one year,” it said, referring to SIR, electoral-roll revisions and other reforms.

The Commission added that its digital platforms, including ECINet, operate under strict data-security protocols, while Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers continue to exercise their statutory powers over voter registration and deletion.