Key facts
- India's Election Commission is facing a credibility crisis due to allegations against its chief.
- Reports indicate Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi repeatedly questioned CEC Gyanesh Kumar over voter database integrity and electoral roll security.
- Sandhu and Joshi allegedly raised objections to decisions made without their knowledge.
- Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee, have demanded Kumar's resignation.
- The controversy surrounds a country-wide revision of the electoral database, known as SIR.
- The Election Commission stated that differing views are normal and all decisions are unanimous.
India's Election Commission (ECI), a key institution in the world's largest democracy, is facing renewed scrutiny following allegations of internal dissent and irregularities concerning its chief, CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The latest controversy stems from a report in the Indian Express newspaper, which detailed how Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi repeatedly questioned Kumar over the integrity of the voter database, changes to voter enrollment processes, and the security of electoral rolls in recent months.
According to the report, Sandhu and Joshi were allegedly kept uninformed about at least 14 decisions over the past 10 months and even lodged a complaint with the chief secretary. These revelations have ignited a political firestorm, with opposition parties demanding Kumar's resignation and accusing him of manipulating the electoral process to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The controversy coincides with a nationwide revision of the electoral database, known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The ECI states the SIR aims to update voter lists by removing ineligible names, accounting for deaths, emigration, and address changes. However, the opposition claims the exercise is being used to disenfranchise their supporters. The BJP and the ECI have denied these allegations.
Former CEC S Y Quraishi, a critic of the SIR, expressed that the internal protests by Sandhu and Joshi have increased his esteem for them. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have intensified their criticism, calling the alleged actions "treason" and demanding fresh polls. Mamata Banerjee has called for Kumar's arrest and fresh elections in West Bengal, citing the removal of 2.7 million voters during the SIR revision in the state.
The Election Commission, in a statement, defended its internal processes, stating that differing views are normal and that all decisions are unanimous outcomes of the full commission. The BJP has labeled the opposition's criticism a "smear campaign" and a sign of dissent in a vibrant democracy. Analysts suggest the ECI's defense may not quell the concerns, as it reportedly does not address all issues raised in the newspaper report.