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Paswan urges poll chief to clarify amid Election Commission rift
Union minister Chirag Paswan said India’s Election Commission should explain what is happening inside the poll body.
He said people may lose faith in elections if their questions are not answered.
A newspaper investigation reported disagreements among the three election commissioners.
It said two commissioners objected at least 14 times to decisions linked to voter lists and election systems.
The Election Commission said such questions are normal inside a multi-member organization.
It also said every final decision was approved unanimously.
Rahul Gandhi made stronger claims, saying elections were being rigged.
He demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign.
Another group, the Cockroach Janata Party, also called for his resignation.
Union minister Chirag Paswan urged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to publicly address concerns about the Election Commission of India.
An Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months.
The reported disagreements involved electoral database changes, voter-registration forms and deletions during the Special Intensive Revision process.
The Election Commission said internal notes and written queries are standard in a multi-member body and that all final SIR decisions were unanimous and legally valid.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that elections were being rigged, while the Cockroach Janata Party demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- Who
- Union minister Chirag Paswan, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi are central figures.
- What
- Paswan asked the Election Commission to clarify reports of internal disagreements, while Rahul Gandhi alleged that elections were being rigged.
- Where
- The remarks were made in Patna, Bihar, and concern the Election Commission of India.
- When
- The investigation covered October 2025 to August 2026; Paswan’s remarks were reported on September 25, 2026, after Gandhi’s comments on Thursday.
- Why
- Paswan said clarification was needed to prevent public doubts about the fairness and credibility of the electoral process.
Critics and opposition
Election Commission and supporters
Public confidence
Critics and opposition
Rahul Gandhi said elections are fundamentally broken and alleged that votes are being stolen; Paswan said the concerns must be addressed so public trust does not weaken.
Election Commission and supporters
Paswan, while allied with the BJP, said the Commission—not the Opposition—must clearly present its position to the public.
Internal disagreements
Critics and opposition
The Indian Express investigation said Sandhu and Joshi objected at least 14 times to decisions associated with Gyanesh Kumar, including matters related to voter rolls and SIR.
Election Commission and supporters
The Election Commission said technical notes and written queries are normal in a multi-member body and maintained that all final decisions were unanimous.
Gyanesh Kumar’s position
Critics and opposition
Rahul Gandhi called for Kumar’s resignation, and the Cockroach Janata Party threatened a nationwide agitation unless he stepped down within 48 hours.
Election Commission and supporters
The Election Commission said its decisions had full legal sanction; the articles do not report Kumar accepting the resignation demands.
Key facts
- Investigation source
- The Indian Express reported an internal rift within the three-member Election Commission of India.
- Reported objections
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objected at least 14 times over 10 months.
- Period examined
- The investigation covered internal notes and letters from October 2025 through August 2026.
- Issues identified
- The report cited centralisation of the ERONet database, changes to Form 6 and voter deletions during SIR.
- Election Commission response
- The poll body said internal technical notes and written queries are standard procedure.
- Final decisions
- The Election Commission said all final SIR decisions were unanimous and legally sanctioned.
- Political reaction
- Rahul Gandhi alleged elections were being rigged, while the Cockroach Janata Party demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Quotes
Chirag Paswan
Union minister and BJP ally commenting on concerns surrounding the Election Commission.
“If questions are being raised on Election Commission, which is an independent constitutional body, responsibility lies with CEC to present his stance clearly. It is problematic if people begin to doubt electoral process itself. The EC needs to present its stance, not to Rahul Gandhi, but to public”
indianexpress.com
“If such questions are being raised against the Election Commission, I believe it is also the responsibility of the Election Commission, especially the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), to firmly present its side. I don't care what the opposition says because it is their job is to do politics.”
NDTV
Sources
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