KHARGE ISSUES THREE-PART CHALLENGE TO ELECTION COMMISSION AS INDIA BLOC DEMANDS GYANESH KUMAR’S EXIT AND HALT TO SIR

October 26, 2026

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, October 26, intensified the INDIA bloc’s confrontation with the Election Commission of India, outlining three major demands over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The opposition alliance is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, an immediate halt to the SIR process and a return to paper ballots for elections across the country.

Kharge accused the Narendra Modi government of protecting Kumar despite what he described as repeated revelations of “vote theft”. In a post on social media, the Congress chief alleged collusion between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission and argued that the issues surrounding voter registration and electoral transparency required urgent action.

The demands come amid a widening political dispute over the revision of electoral rolls, the disclosure of information about the software used in the process and the treatment of voter-registration records. The opposition has questioned whether the exercise is being conducted transparently and whether all eligible citizens can be assured of retaining their rightful place on the electoral rolls.

One of Kharge’s principal concerns relates to the Election Commission’s refusal to disclose information about software used in the SIR exercise in response to a Right to Information request, citing “trade secrets”. The Congress has argued that withholding such information prevents adequate scrutiny of the technological systems involved in maintaining voter records.

Kharge also raised questions about the status of 16.18 lakh Form-6 applications in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that details of these applications had not been made public. Form 6 is used by eligible citizens to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls. He further cited alleged irregularities in records relating to 10,470 voters in Pilibhit and said that an investigation had been ordered into Forms 6, 7 and 8 across Uttar Pradesh.

These allegations have become central to the opposition’s argument that the voter-list revision process requires greater transparency and independent scrutiny. However, the claims made by Kharge represent the Congress’s position, and the specific allegations concerning voter records and the handling of applications require verification through the relevant official records and investigations.

The first of the INDIA bloc’s three demands is the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Kharge has argued that the controversies surrounding the SIR exercise have undermined confidence in the Election Commission’s leadership. The opposition has also demanded repeal of the 2023 law that governs the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, criticising provisions it believes provide excessive protection to election officials.

The second demand is an immediate suspension of the SIR exercise, together with the restoration of names that the opposition alleges were unlawfully removed from electoral rolls. The Congress maintains that the process must not proceed without satisfactory answers to concerns about voter-registration data, deletions and the transparency of the systems used to conduct the revision.

The third demand is that elections be conducted using paper ballots rather than electronic voting machines. The proposal represents a renewed push by opposition parties for a change in the country’s voting system. The Congress argues that a return to paper ballots would address its concerns about electoral transparency, while the wider debate over voting methods continues to involve questions of reliability, verification and public confidence.

The INDIA bloc’s demands follow earlier reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions to decisions and orders connected with the SIR process. According to a report by The Indian Express, the two commissioners had formally objected at least 14 times over the preceding ten months to decisions they said had been taken without their knowledge or recommendation.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations. Sources within the poll panel said that its orders, including those relating to the SIR exercise, had been approved unanimously by the full commission and followed established statutory procedures. The opposing accounts have intensified scrutiny of the commission’s internal decision-making, although the reported disagreements do not, by themselves, establish that the electoral process was manipulated.

Kharge has called on citizens to join the INDIA bloc’s “Save Votes–Save the Nation” march and public rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1. The proposed mobilisation is intended to bring together opposition supporters and other citizens concerned about electoral transparency and the protection of voting rights.

The rally is expected to become a focal point for the opposition’s campaign against the Election Commission’s handling of voter-list revision. Kharge has framed the mobilisation as a struggle not merely over individual votes but over constitutional safeguards and democratic accountability. The extent of participation and the response from the authorities will help determine the immediate political impact of the campaign.

The controversy also places renewed attention on the institutional independence of the Election Commission. As the constitutional body responsible for administering elections, the commission is expected to maintain electoral rolls and conduct polls in accordance with the law. Opposition parties are entitled to question its decisions, while allegations of wrongdoing must be examined against documentary evidence, statutory requirements and the commission’s responses.

The government and the Election Commission have not accepted the opposition’s broader allegations of collusion and systematic electoral manipulation. The dispute therefore remains a political and institutional confrontation rather than a settled finding of wrongdoing. The key questions concern the transparency of the SIR process, the handling of voter applications and deletions, and the extent to which available procedures permit independent scrutiny.

With the INDIA bloc pressing for Kumar’s resignation, suspension of the SIR exercise and a return to paper ballots, the issue is likely to remain prominent in national politics. The November 1 rally will provide the opposition with an opportunity to consolidate its campaign, while the Election Commission’s handling of the outstanding questions will remain central to the debate over electoral credibility and public confidence