Reports have emerged that despite repeated objections from two Election Commissioners to the special intensive revision of the electoral roll, it was implemented by India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
During the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India carried out the special intensive revision of the electoral roll. Subsequently, the special intensive revision was undertaken in various states, including Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Although this is a routine action carried out by the Election Commission of India, 130 million voters were removed in an unprecedented manner. Opposition parties have been strongly protesting this move by the Election Commission.
In this situation, reports have emerged that there was a fierce clash between Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, over the new changes made in the S.I.R. exercise.
Over the past 10 months, the two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, have recorded their objections 14 times, saying that the Chief Election Commissioner took various decisions without their knowledge or approval.
Why the conflict?
During the SIR exercise, a new question was added to Form 6, which new voters use to apply: whether the applicant or their parents/grandparents were included in the previous SIR electoral roll.
Even though the two commissioners objected that making such changes without amending the rules was “illegal and unauthorized,” it was implemented.
Similarly, the authority to prepare the electoral roll legally rests only with the electoral registration officers of the respective constituencies. However, both commissioners have alleged that these data are being centralized through the IT division in Delhi and that the electoral registration officers are being controlled.
Furthermore, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu has questioned who, on behalf of the Election Commission, obtained permission and filed an appeal against the special tribunal set up under the Supreme Court’s order for reinstating voters removed in West Bengal.
Two Election Commissioners, dissatisfied with the functioning of the Election Commission of India, have separately written letters to the Cabinet Secretary, who is the country’s top civil servant.
Complaints have arisen that the Chief Election Commissioner has acted unilaterally, in violation of Article 324 of the Constitution and the Election Commission Act of 2023, which stipulate that all decisions of the Commission must be taken only unanimously or on the basis of a majority (the consent of two members).
Regarding this, Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi posted the following statement:
“Vote theft is a crime against the people of India; it is a direct attack on our Constitution.
This act of treason has been carried out by the BJP, RSS, and the Election Commission. Justice will be delivered,” he said.