Mysuru: Congress activists led by former MLA M K Somashekhar staged a protest at Ramaswamy Circle here on Friday, September 25, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over reported differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) on electoral-roll and voter-registration decisions.
The protesters raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that the Election Commission was being misused for political purposes. They accused the CEC of taking unilateral decisions despite objections recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The protest came days after an investigation by The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had formally recorded objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period. The objections reportedly covered voter registration and deletion, restoration of names, changes to Form 6 and the handling and centralisation of electoral-roll data.
Congress raises concerns over Election Commission functioning
According to the protesters, the reported objections raise questions about the functioning and transparency of the poll panel. They said the Election Commission should safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process and ensure that eligible voters are not excluded from electoral rolls.
The reported internal objections included concerns over changes to Form 6, which is used by citizens to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll. According to the Indian Express investigation, Joshi had objected to changes to the form, while Sandhu later described the change as “unauthorised and illegal” and sought its removal.
The two commissioners also reportedly raised concerns about the gradual centralisation of access to electoral-roll databases and the role of state-level election officials in managing voter data. They separately approached the Cabinet Secretary over changes involving the IT infrastructure handling electoral rolls.
However, the Election Commission has rejected suggestions of a formal institutional rift. ECI officials have said that all decisions, including those relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), had the approval of all three commissioners and described written observations and internal checks as part of the normal functioning of the institution.
Somashekhar alleges voter deletions
During the protest, Somashekhar alleged that thousands of voters belonging to backward classes, Scheduled Castes and Muslim communities had been deleted from the electoral rolls in his constituency.
He said Congress would establish that the deleted voters were genuine electors by producing supporting documents. The allegation was made in the context of the wider political controversy surrounding the ongoing SIR exercise and reported deletions from electoral rolls.
The Indian Express has reported that the nationwide SIR exercise has affected more than 13 crore names in draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union Territories. The report also noted that the reported internal objections by Sandhu and Joshi concerned several aspects of electoral-roll management.
Congress activists at the Mysuru protest alleged that voter deletions could affect the participation of eligible citizens and demanded that the CEC take responsibility for the concerns raised within the poll panel.
ECI rejects allegations of unilateral functioning
The allegations made by the protesters remain political claims and do not by themselves establish that the Election Commission acted to benefit any particular political party.
The ECI has maintained that statutory authorities such as Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers exercise their powers under the law for voter registration and deletion. It has also defended its digital platforms and said they operate under data-security protocols designed to prevent unauthorised manipulation.
The reported objections by two commissioners and the ECI’s subsequent response have nevertheless triggered renewed debate over transparency, internal checks and decision-making within the poll panel.
The Mysuru protesters said they would continue raising the issue and demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, while calling for measures to protect the integrity of electoral rolls and the independence of the Election Commission.