Congress demands PM Modi's resignation and removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
The Congress Working Committee has called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign over 'vote theft'.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution on Tuesday demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from office, an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, and the restoration of the names of over 13 crore voters removed from the lists after this process. In the resolution, Congress also called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign for “vote theft.”
The meeting held in New Delhi was chaired by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Senior party leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, and K.C. Venugopal were present. The meeting discussed the SIR, the process of adding and removing names from the voter lists, and reports of differences within the Election Commission.
Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the immediate removal of the Chief Election Commissioner. He alleged that the Prime Minister is pressuring the head of the Election Commission and stated that PM Modi should resign on moral grounds.
In excerpts from his initial statement shared on the social media platform X, Kharge outlined five demands of the Congress regarding this controversy.
The first demand is,
to make public the complete data on the significant changes made to the voter lists.
The second demand is,
to provide information and an opportunity to appeal to those whose names have been removed from the lists.
The third demand is,
that political parties receive voter list data in a timely and easily usable format.
The fourth demand is,
that an independent and timely investigation be conducted when serious discrepancies arise.
And the fifth demand is,
to ensure transparency in electoral data and decisions.
Kharge stated that,
the most important thing is the trust of voters that their vote is secure. According to him, Congress does not view this controversy merely as a question of winning or losing elections. The party considers it an issue related to the rights of voters, the Constitution, and the democratic system. He said that Congress will raise this issue from the streets to Parliament. Kharge emphasized the need for an Election Commission system that both the ruling party and the opposition can trust.
A major reason for the controversy is reports of differences within the Election Commission. Besides Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the commission includes Election Commissioners Sukbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. According to reports, both commissioners had raised objections regarding the SIR, changes to Form 6 for registering new voters, access to the voter lists, and some decisions related to the commission's technical systems. The Indian Express reported that
at least 14 objections were recorded in the past 10 months. Congress argues that it should be clear after these reports whether the relevant decisions were made collectively by the commission or not.
The Election Commission has defended its functioning, stating that it is normal for different opinions and comments to arise during discussions in any institution. According to the commission, its decisions are fully legally grounded and follow established statutory procedures.
In a press note related to the commission's first meeting after the reports of differences, it was also stated that the letters sent by Sandhu and Joshi to the Cabinet Secretary were related to an officer deployed on secondment; they were not related to policy decisions or matters of the IT division.
Congress has termed the commission's recent actions regarding the SIR as inadequate. The party alleges that there is a need for clearer data and an effective appeal system to allay fears of large-scale voter name removals. On Monday, Kharge also stated that the objections raised by both election commissioners have raised questions about the commission's functioning. He had raised issues related to Form 6, adding and removing names from the voter lists, and centralized control over the voter database along with the SIR. However, differences remain regarding the reasons for changes in the voter lists amid these allegations and the commission's response.
Meanwhile, former Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh has accused Gyanesh Kumar of violating the law during the ongoing SIR in an open letter. The retired IAS officer has also urged opposition parties to boycott elections until the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners resign.
This is former Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh's appeal; it should be understood separately from the demands made in the Congress Working Committee's resolution.
Protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation have also taken place in various states. Congress is now preparing to strategize with allied parties of the opposition coalition ‘India’ on this issue. A meeting of opposition parties is scheduled for Wednesday, where they may discuss a joint campaign and consider issuing another notice related to Kumar's removal in Parliament. Currently, the focal point of the controversy is the question of how to ensure that the complete information regarding changes in the voter lists reaches the public and how those whose names have been removed can be given an effective opportunity to present their case.