Row after report claims decisions taken without Poll Panel’s knowledge
A huge row has erupted after The Indian Express in its report claimed that a number of decisions in the last ten months were taken without the knowledge of the Election Commission, sometimes unconstitutionally
A huge row has erupted after a newspaper report claimed that a number of decisions in the last ten months were taken without the knowledge of the Election Commission, sometimes unconstitutionally.
Commenting on the report published by The Indian Express Wednesday September 23, 2026 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Founder and Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and cancellation of the assembly elections held in Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
“This is the biggest scandal of independent India”, Kejriwal said while addressing the media.
“We demand that Gyanesh Kumar be arrested and immediately prosecuted for sedition, and that all the elections held in the past few years be canceled and conducted afresh”, he added.
Kejriwal also said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), through which names of over 13 crore people across 30 states were deleted, is illegal and demanded to make 3-year-old electoral roll official.’
Allegations against CEC and Some EC Staff
The Election Commission of India (ECI) comprises of three members with the current members being Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and his colleagues Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
As per the operational guidelines, all EC members have equal power with the CEC being “first among the equals”.
The Indian Express in its report published today claimed the two of Gyanesh Kumar’s colleagues have submitted at least 14 dissent notes and objections in the last 10 months.
The two EC members also wrote to Cabinet Secretary complaining about the functioning of the CEC.
“… the objections relate to the core of the EC’s mandate – new voter registration, deletion and restoration of voters in the electoral rolls, filing of appeals against orders restoring voters in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, and the custody and security of the entire election rolls”, the IE report said adding that the copies of the objections related to the cited issues were also sent to CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The EC members also flagged the changes made in the Form 6 saying, “The change is illegal, unauthorized, needs to be sent to the government and must be removed immediately so that young and first time voters are not harassed.”
As per the IE, EC members Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and EC Vivek Joshi also wrote that thousands of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have complained that they were unable to access the Election Commission’s portal EROnet.
“This happened because the head of the IT Department in the Election Commission was ordered to provide restricted access to EROs”, they noted.
The EC members also said that some decisions were taken without their knowledge, and about some they came to know only through media.
“CEC bulldozed the Poll Panel”
Taking serious note of the allegations made in the IE report, the Congress party accused the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of bulldozing the Poll Panel.
“The CEC has bulldozed his own organization, he has bulldozed his own colleagues, and he has hijacked not only the EC but every Election Commissioner”, Congress leader and MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said while addressing a press conference.
“He runs the Election Commission as if he were the sole sovereign feudal lord of a fiefdom, not a constitutional authority answerable to other institutions, to the law, and to the Constitution”, he added.
Saying Gyanesh Kumar does not deserve to occupy his post for one more second, Singhvi said, “He has rendered his colleague ECs ornamental. He has turned them into dummies and clones.”
Singhvi also criticized the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and said the allegations expose BJP’s lust of power.
“The breadth of the case related to the Election Commission also exposes the repulsiveness. We must win the elections at any cost—this is a decision of the ruling party and the government”, Singhvi said.
Election Commission’s Response
Following the outrage after the publication of the report, the Election Commission of India in a press statement said, “All official orders, decisions and administrative directions issued by the Commission carry full legal sanctions and follow established statutory procedures under the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.”
The Poll Panel also said that any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights.
“The suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes”, it said.
The Poll Panel in its statement also said that “differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution.”
“They are a part of the decision-making process before a final decision is taken. Not only the three Commissioners, but every officer of the Commission is fully authorized to give his suggestions to the Commission for improving the electoral system”, the Election Commission of India said.
“Highlighting certain specific internal notes/observations spread over the period of 10 months while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives give only one part of the picture”, it said.
Meanwhile, all three Election Commissioners - Gyanesh Kumar, Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu are maintaining a guarded silence.
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