NEW DELHI — Aggressive public protests, legal filings, and digital petitions have converged against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, expanding the political fallout over disputed internal processes at the Election Commission of India.
The coordinated push follows Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s demand for Kumar’s resignation, centered on reports that internal objections regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls were bypassed.
Key Operational and Legal Developments
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Capital Poster Drive: The Delhi Congress OBC wing initiated a high-visibility outdoor campaign, displaying “Gyanesh Hatao, Chunav Aayog Bachao” banners at prominent capital hubs, including the ITO junction.
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Digital Mobilization: The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) launched the “Gyanesh, It’s Done Bro” campaign, calling for Kumar’s removal, an official probe into roll management, and full public disclosure of internal dissent notes.
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High Court Intervention: A legal challenge was submitted to the Kolhapur Bench of the Bombay High Court. The petition requests the annulment of 14 administrative directives, an immediate stay on Maharashtra’s SIR process, reinstatement of purged voters, and the postponement of local elections pending refreshed electoral rolls.
Institutional and Political Rebuttals
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Election Commission Position: Rebutting claims of procedural irregularities, the Election Commission affirmed that all institutional decisions over the preceding year were reached unanimously, noting that varying internal perspectives form a standard part of regulatory discussions.
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Ruling Party Response: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari dismissed the opposition’s campaign, characterizing the allegations as an attempt to question democratic institutions following successive electoral losses.
