Archive · 30 Sep 2026
Tharoor Says CEC Controversy Diminishes India’s Electoral Credibility
Shashi Tharoor says India’s top election official, Gyanesh Kumar, has lost the trust of many opposition parties.
The Congress and its allies want him to resign or face a parliamentary removal process.
They accuse the Election Commission of making some important decisions without enough agreement and transparency.
Two cases about these issues are before the Supreme Court.
One case questions election-related technology and administrative decisions.
Another questions how election commissioners are selected.
The government and BJP leaders have strongly defended the commissioner and the disputed voter-roll exercise.
Removing a commissioner is very difficult because both houses of Parliament must approve it.
Tharoor says the Election Commission should pause the exercise, explain its decisions, and allow an independent audit.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says pressure on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is threatening confidence in India’s electoral system.
The Congress and INDIA bloc are demanding Kumar’s resignation and preparing fresh removal notices after earlier notices were rejected.
Challenges before the Supreme Court question alleged unilateral Election Commission decisions and the executive-heavy 2023 appointment process.
The 2023 law requires parliamentary approval in both houses for involuntary removal and grants commissioners immunity for official actions.
Tharoor calls for pausing the disputed SIR, disclosing Election Commission records, and independently auditing voter deletions and software changes.
- Who
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Shashi Tharoor, the Congress, INDIA bloc allies, the BJP, and the NDA government.
- What
- A political and legal dispute over Kumar’s conduct, the Election Commission’s decisions, voter-roll changes, and demands for his resignation or removal.
- When
- Protests and political activity intensified this week, with elections approaching.
- Where
- Across India, including urban protest sites, Parliament, and the Supreme Court.
- Why
- Opposition parties allege bias, inadequate transparency, and unilateral decisions that could undermine confidence in the Election Commission.
Opposition and Tharoor’s Concerns
Government and BJP Defense
CEC’s continuation in office
Opposition and Tharoor’s Concerns
The Congress and allied opposition parties argue that Kumar should resign or face removal because his continued tenure undermines the perceived neutrality of the Election Commission.
Government and BJP Defense
The BJP and government functionaries have defended the CEC and resisted pressure from protests, parliamentary disruption, and opposition demands.
Election Commission decisions
Opposition and Tharoor’s Concerns
Opposition-linked legal challenges allege that administrative and technological changes were made unilaterally without unanimous agreement among the three commissioners.
Government and BJP Defense
The government-side position described in the article is that the CEC and the disputed SIR should be defended rather than abandoned under political pressure.
Removal and accountability
Opposition and Tharoor’s Concerns
Tharoor argues that the legal framework makes accountability difficult and calls for disclosure, audits, and judicial scrutiny of immunity protections.
Government and BJP Defense
The existing law provides a demanding parliamentary removal process and official-duty immunity, while the BJP signals that it will not yield to opposition pressure.
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Protests
- Congress says it conducted about 930 protest agitations against the CEC this week.
- Removal threshold
- Removal requires parliamentary approval through votes in both houses.
- Selection-process challenge
- A Supreme Court petition challenges replacing the Chief Justice of India with a Union cabinet minister on the selection panel.
- Legal immunity
- Section 16 of the 2023 law grants serving and former election commissioners immunity for official actions, subject to judicial review.
- Disputed election exercise
- Tharoor calls for a pause in the SIR and an independent audit of voter deletions and software changes.
- Political response
- BJP leaders and functionaries have defended the CEC and the SIR, while opposition parties seek his resignation.