The controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has become a major political issue between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc, particularly over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The opposition has alleged irregularities in the voter-roll revision process and has demanded Kumar’s resignation and an independent inquiry. INDIA bloc parties are also discussing a removal motion in Parliament and a coordinated campaign over the issue.
The controversy intensified after reports that the other two Election Commissioners had raised objections on multiple occasions regarding decisions connected to the voter-list revision. The Election Commission, however, has said that differences during institutional deliberations are normal and that its final SIR decisions were taken unanimously and followed statutory procedures.
The BJP has rejected the opposition’s allegations that the SIR exercise was designed to benefit the ruling party. The dispute has therefore developed into a broader political and institutional debate over electoral processes, the independence of the Election Commission and public confidence in elections.
