The report on internal dissent within the Election Commission of India (ECI) has triggered a massive political firestorm, with opposition leaders uniting to target Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the ruling dispensation.
Key Highlights of the Backlash:
-
The Core Allegations: The controversy erupted following an investigative report detailing that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally recorded objections 14 times over 10 months against decisions made without their knowledge. These objections ranged from software centralisation concerns and procedural changes to Form 6 to issues involving the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls.
-
“Invisible Hand” and Impeachment Calls: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the developments as a “crime against the Indian people,” while colleague Manish Tewari alleged an “invisible hand” is running the poll body. Opposition figures—including TMC MP Derek O’Brien and CPM MP John Brittas—renewed calls to push forward with a parliamentary impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, citing a notice previously backed by over 60 Rajya Sabha MPs.
-
Judicial Intervention Demanded: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the matter, describing the alleged sidelining of election commissioners as a direct threat to democratic integrity.
-
ECI Source Rebuttal: In response to the uproar, ECI sources pushed back against the report, maintaining that all decisions—including the SIR process—have been completely unanimous and undertaken with the full concurrence and approval of all three commissioners.
