IndiaPosted at: Sep 27 2026 2:29PM


CPI(M) says ECI response fails to address questions, renews demand for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday stepped up its criticism of the Election Commission of India, saying the poll panel’s September 26 response had failed to address serious questions surrounding its functioning and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and renewed its demand for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In a statement issued by the CPI(M) Polit Bureau, the party said the Election Commission’s response did not adequately address concerns arising from disclosures about the functioning of the three-member Commission, particularly over voter enrolment and deletion, access to electoral databases and changes to procedures governing electoral rolls.
“The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) statement issued on September 26 does not address the serious questions raised by disclosures about the Commission’s functioning and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls,” the Polit Bureau said.
The CPI(M) was referring to an investigation by The Indian Express, which reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over a 10-month period to decisions and procedures concerning electoral rolls. The issues included the enrolment of new voters, deletion and restoration of names, changes to Form 6 and concerns over the centralisation of access to electoral databases.
According to the report, Joshi had objected to changes proposed in Form 6, the statutory application for registration of new voters, arguing that the form could not be altered without changes to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Sandhu subsequently described the changes as “unauthorised” and “illegal” and called for their immediate removal.
The CPI(M) said the disclosures had added significance to concerns already raised by opposition parties and civil society groups over the SIR exercise. “The core issue is whether the electoral process is being conducted transparently, in accordance with law, and with adequate safeguards against the wrongful exclusion of eligible voters,” it said.
The party also accused the Election Commission of failing to address questions of accountability for what it described as “severe hardships inflicted on citizens by the whimsical and authoritarian acts of one person or a group acting at the behest of the ruling dispensation”. The allegation is the CPI(M)’s political claim and has not been independently established by the material cited by the party.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, has maintained that differences of opinion and observations are part of institutional deliberations and has said that decisions relating to the SIR were ultimately taken unanimously. In its response to the controversy, the ECI said that focusing on individual internal notes without considering the broader record of approvals, decisions and instructions presented only “one part of the picture”.
On September 26, the Commission announced several measures concerning the SIR, including doorstep verification by Booth Level Officers for voters issued notices over unmapped entries or logical discrepancies, greater use of online hearings, assistance for vulnerable sections and an extension of the claims and objections deadline in Delhi and Maharashtra. It also announced a review of the ECINet system by a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT.
The ECI also reiterated that the nationwide SIR order and subsequent schedules had received unanimous approval from the Commission, while stating that the final number of electors would be known only after completion of the remaining stages of the exercise.
The CPI(M), however, said the latest measures did not resolve what it described as the fundamental questions surrounding the functioning of the poll panel. “Against this backdrop, we reiterate our demand for the immediate resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. If he does not resign, he should be impeached for misconduct. The SIR process must also be halted immediately,” the party said.
The CPI(M) also referred to a separate allegation made by former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson, who has publicly claimed that Kumar, while serving as an IAS officer in 2016, suggested that Thomson contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate from Pathanamthitta and subsequently become a union minister. Thomson has said he declined the suggestion. The allegation has not been independently established and relates to an alleged conversation from 2016.
Referring to the allegation, the CPI(M) said, “Gyanesh Kumar must be held accountable. He must go, particularly in the light of new allegations levelled against him by a senior (retd) IAS officer from Keralam.”
The controversy comes amid continuing scrutiny of the SIR, which began in Bihar in June 2025 and has since been extended to other States and union Territories. The Indian Express reported that more than 13 crore names had been struck from draft electoral rolls across 30 States and union Territories during the exercise. The Election Commission has maintained that the revision is intended to improve the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls and has stressed that the final rolls will emerge only after claims, objections and other prescribed processes are completed.
The CPI(M) said the disclosures concerning the functioning of the Commission warranted accountability at the highest level and reiterated its demand that the SIR process be halted pending resolution of the questions it has raised over the conduct and transparency of the electoral revision exercise. UNI SKA AAB
Tags: #CPI(M) says ECI response fails to address questions# renews demand for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
More News

INTACH exhibition to explore artistic and cultural significance of Chhath

27 Sep 2026 | 4:58 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) The artistic, cultural, and ritual traditions associated with the Chhath festival and Sun worship will be showcased through a collection of Mithila artworks and crafts at an exhibition being organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

see more..

Delhi CM calls Oppn's EC allegations baseless, demands treason cases against Rahul, leaders

27 Sep 2026 | 4:51 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition over its allegations against the Election Commission, accusing its leaders of attempting to undermine public confidence in constitutional institutions and demanding that cases of treason be registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders.

see more..

India will safeguard security, strategic autonomy when threatened: Rajnath Singh

27 Sep 2026 | 4:36 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) India does not seek to occupy the territory of any country but will take all necessary measures to protect its security and strategic autonomy when threatened, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday, asserting that the country's commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness.

see more..

Hindi Pakhwada marked with cycling, fitness drive in Delhi

27 Sep 2026 | 4:26 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) More than 1,000 people participated in a cycling and fitness drive at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in ITO on Sunday, as the 92nd edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle was held as part of Hindi Pakhwada 2026, according to officials from the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

see more..

Govt backs 210 nanomedicine projects with Rs 174 crore, says Jitendra Singh

27 Sep 2026 | 4:19 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) The government is supporting 210 research and development projects in nanomedicine with financial assistance of Rs 174 crore, union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Sunday, underlining the potential of the emerging field in precision medicine and personalised healthcare.

see more..