Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Madhya Pradesh Congress Plans Protests Over Electoral Roll Revision
The Madhya Pradesh Congress says changes to the voter list were not explained clearly.
It wants Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
The party plans to surround the state election office on September 28.
It also plans demonstrations outside collectorates on September 29.
Congress says more than 34 lakh names were removed from the final voter list.
It says more than 42 lakh names had been left out of an earlier draft list.
The party wants officials to explain which names were deleted or restored and why.
It also wants records showing how election officers handled the digital voter system.
Donald Trump praised the SIR process, but Congress strongly criticized it.
Madhya Pradesh Congress will encircle the state chief electoral officer’s office in Bhopal on September 28.
The party plans protests outside collectorates on September 29 and is demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari alleged wrongdoing and insufficient transparency during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Patwari said 34,25,078 names were removed from the final roll, while 42,74,160 names were excluded from the December 2025 draft roll.
Congress wants constituency-, district- and reason-wise deletion data, restoration decisions, and a digital audit trail of election officials’ roles.
- Who
- The Madhya Pradesh Congress, led by state president Jitu Patwari, is campaigning against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR process.
- What
- Congress announced protests and demanded Kumar’s resignation, possible arrest and removal, plus an independent review of electoral-roll decisions.
- When
- The announcement was reported on September 24; protests are planned for September 28 and 29, while the national Congress directed state protests for September 25.
- Where
- The main protests are planned at the state chief electoral officer’s office in Bhopal and outside collectorates across Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- Congress alleges wrongdoing, unclear legal procedures and inadequate transparency in changes made during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Congress’s allegations
Positive assessment of SIR
Transparency and electoral-roll changes
Congress’s allegations
The Madhya Pradesh Congress alleges wrongdoing and demands public, constituency-, district- and reason-wise details of deleted names, along with information on restored names and officials’ digital actions.
Positive assessment of SIR
Donald Trump praised the SIR process, while the articles do not provide a detailed response from the Election Commission of India to Congress’s specific allegations.
Election Commission decisions
Congress’s allegations
Jitu Patwari cited a report saying Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record to some electoral-roll decisions and orders, and he called for an independent review.
Positive assessment of SIR
The articles report the objections and Congress’s claims but do not establish that the disputed decisions were unlawful or provide the Election Commission’s full explanation.
- September 28 action
- Congress plans to encircle the state chief electoral officer’s office in Bhopal.
- September 29 action
- The party plans protests outside collectorates in Madhya Pradesh.
- Final electoral roll
- The roll published on February 21, 2026, listed 5,39,81,065 voters, according to figures cited by Patwari.
- Final deletions
- Patwari said 34,25,078 names were removed in the final exercise.
- Draft exclusions
- A total of 42,74,160 names were excluded from the draft roll issued in December 2025.
- Inclusion applications
- About 7.17 lakh applications were received to add names during the claims and objections process.
- Deletion objections
- Around 83,000 objections sought deletion of names.
- Congress demands
- The party wants deletion and restoration details, reasons for decisions, and an audit trail of Electoral Registration Officers and Booth Level Officers.
