Archive · 24 Sep 2026
TNCC Chief Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation and Arrest
Manickam Tagore leads the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee.
He accused Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of favoring the BJP and Amit Shah.
Tagore said Kumar should resign and be arrested.
He pointed to Kumar’s earlier government positions as part of his argument.
Tagore also criticised a 2023 law about choosing election commissioners.
He said the law replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Cabinet minister on the selection committee.
The Congress plans protests across Tamil Nadu.
Tagore also alleged that some communities were unfairly prevented from voting in other states.
The report does not include a response from Kumar, the BJP, or Amit Shah.
TNCC president Manickam Tagore accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting for the BJP and Amit Shah.
Tagore demanded Kumar’s immediate resignation and arrest during a press briefing in Chennai.
The TNCC plans protests beginning near the Chennai District Collectorate and continuing at district headquarters.
Tagore criticised the 2023 law changing the committee that appoints election commissioners.
He linked election results and alleged voter disenfranchisement to Congress claims of institutional subversion and “vote theft.”
- Who
- Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore made the allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Tagore demanded Kumar’s resignation and arrest and announced statewide protests.
- When
- The report was dated September 24; the first protest was announced for Friday.
- Where
- The first protest was announced near the Chennai District Collectorate, followed by demonstrations at district headquarters across Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- Tagore alleged that Kumar acted as an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Amit Shah, and criticised the law governing election-commissioner appointments.
Congress allegations
Response not reported
Kumar’s political independence
Congress allegations
Manickam Tagore alleged that Gyanesh Kumar acted as an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, citing Kumar’s previous government roles.
Response not reported
The report provides no response from Gyanesh Kumar, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or Amit Shah.
Election-commissioner appointments
Congress allegations
Tagore criticised the 2023 appointment law for replacing the Chief Justice of India with a Union Cabinet minister on the selection committee.
Response not reported
The report does not provide the government’s justification or response regarding the law.
Election integrity
Congress allegations
Tagore said results in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Bihar supported Rahul Gandhi’s warnings about institutional subversion and alleged targeted disenfranchisement in Bihar and West Bengal.
Response not reported
The report includes no opposing assessment of those election results or the disenfranchisement allegations.
- Accuser
- Manickam Tagore, president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee
- Target
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Demand
- Immediate resignation and arrest of Kumar
- First protest
- Near the Chennai District Collectorate
- Protest scope
- Demonstrations at all district headquarters in Tamil Nadu
- Law criticised
- The 2023 law governing appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners
- Allegations
- Institutional subversion, “vote theft,” and targeted disenfranchisement in some states