Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Gyanesh Kumar’s Election Commission Tenure Faces Internal Dissent
Gyanesh Kumar is the head of India’s Election Commission.
His work has attracted criticism because of changes to voter lists called the Special Intensive Revision.
Opposition parties say these changes could remove eligible voters or help the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Election Commission says the accusations are misleading and that its decisions on SIR were unanimous.
Two other election commissioners reportedly objected at least 14 times to decisions they said were made without telling them.
The disagreements reportedly involved voter-registration Form 6 and control of the voter database.
Kumar previously held senior government jobs, including work connected to Article 370 and the Ram temple trust.
He became an election commissioner in March 2024 and chief election commissioner in February 2025.
His appointment also drew criticism because a new law gave the government greater influence over the selection panel.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar faces scrutiny over the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists and the Election Commission’s internal functioning.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly objected at least 14 times to decisions they said were taken without their knowledge.
The reported objections included changes to statutory voter-registration Form 6 and centralized control of the electoral-roll database.
Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of favoring the Bharatiya Janata Party, while the commission has rejected the allegations and said SIR decisions were unanimous.
Kumar, a former Kerala-cadre IAS officer, previously worked on Article 370-related measures and the Ram Janmabhoomi trust before becoming CEC in February 2025.
- Who
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, opposition parties including the Congress, and the Election Commission.
- What
- Kumar’s tenure is under scrutiny over the Special Intensive Revision, reported internal objections about electoral-roll decisions, and allegations concerning the commission’s independence.
- When
- Kumar joined the Election Commission in March 2024 and became CEC on February 19, 2025; the reported objections occurred at least 14 times over the following 10 months.
- Where
- The developments concern India’s Election Commission and voter-list revisions in several states.
- Why
- Opposition parties allege that voter-list changes could exclude eligible voters and benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party; the Election Commission disputes those claims.
Opposition and Critics
Election Commission and Supporters
Special Intensive Revision
Opposition and Critics
Opposition parties, led by the Congress, allege that the voter-list revision could exclude eligible voters and give the Bharatiya Janata Party an electoral advantage.
Election Commission and Supporters
The Election Commission has rejected the allegations as misleading and said its final decisions, including those on SIR, were unanimous.
Internal decision-making
Opposition and Critics
The reported objections by Sandhu and Joshi suggest that important decisions were issued without their knowledge and raise concerns about opacity within the commission.
Election Commission and Supporters
The Election Commission says differing views are a normal part of deliberations; Sandhu and Joshi have not publicly discussed the objections attributed to them.
CEC appointment process
Opposition and Critics
The opposition criticized Kumar’s appointment under the 2023 law because replacing the Chief Justice of India with a Union Cabinet minister gave the government two members on the selection panel.
Election Commission and Supporters
Kumar was appointed through the selection process established by that law; the Supreme Court recently issued split opinions on whether challenges to the law should go to a larger bench.
Kumar’s public response
Opposition and Critics
Critics objected to Kumar’s challenge to Rahul Gandhi to substantiate the “vote chori” allegation with a sworn declaration or apologize.
Election Commission and Supporters
The Election Commission and Kumar have rejected the allegations concerning voter-list manipulation; the CEC has not publicly responded to the political uproar over the reported internal dissent.
- Official
- Gyanesh Kumar, India’s 26th chief election commissioner
- CEC tenure
- Began on February 19, 2025; scheduled to end on January 26, 2029
- Main controversy
- Special Intensive Revision of voter lists
- Reported objections
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months
- Issues cited
- Changes to statutory Form 6 and centralized control of the electoral-roll database
- Professional background
- 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Kerala cadre
- Earlier government work
- Worked on Article 370-related measures, the Ram Janmabhoomi trust, parliamentary affairs and cooperation
- Appointment controversy
- A 2023 law replaced the Chief Justice of India on the selection panel with a Union Cabinet minister, giving the government two members on the three-member panel
