EC internal dissent row: Congress demands CEC's removal; Commission says decisions were unanimous

A dispute over decision-making inside the Election Commission of India (ECI) has become a major political issue, with the Congress demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Commission rejecting claims of a split.

What the report said

The Indian Express reported in September 2026 that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded objections on at least 14 occasions between November 2025 and August 2026. According to the report, these related to voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes to Form 6, the management and centralisation of electoral-roll IT systems, and a case in Goa where eligible voters could not be added because of a software issue.

The Election Commission's response

On 23 September, the ECI said that written notes, observations and differing views are a normal part of deliberations in a multi-member constitutional body and act as internal checks and balances. It said all decisions taken by the full Commission over the past year, including those on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were unanimous. The CEC and both Commissioners met on 26 September, and the Commission said individual observations made during discussions do not necessarily represent its final decision.

Under the 2023 law governing the Commission, business is to be conducted unanimously as far as possible; where members differ, the majority view prevails.

Congress Working Committee resolution

At a meeting in New Delhi on 29 September chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress Working Committee (CWC):

• demanded the immediate resignation of the CEC,
• sought suspension of the SIR process and restoration of names it says were wrongly removed, and
• asked that all data on changes to electoral rolls be made public, that deleted voters get a chance to appeal, and that parties receive rolls in a simple format on time.

Kharge also called for the Prime Minister's resignation, alleging pressure on the poll body. The party said it would raise the issue in Parliament and on the streets.

Where things stand

The Election Commission maintains that differences of opinion are a normal part of its functioning and that its final decisions on the SIR were unanimous. The Congress, for its part, says it will keep pressing its demands. Under the Constitution, a Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only in the same manner as a Supreme Court judge, which requires a special majority in both Houses of Parliament.