Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Telangana Congress Protests, Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar Resign
The Telangana Congress held a protest in Hyderabad on Monday.
It said the Election Commission may have wrongly removed some people from voter lists.
The party asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and also demanded his arrest, according to one report.
Congress leaders marched to the state election office and gave officials a written list of demands.
They wanted more information about deleted names and how decisions were made.
They also asked for an independent check to see whether eligible voters were left out.
The Election Commission said the reported removals were from draft lists and that people could file claims and objections.
Congress leaders said they would continue their campaign to protect people’s right to vote.
The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee held a protest rally in Hyderabad demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and, according to one report, arrest.
Congress leaders alleged irregularities, insufficient transparency and threats to voting rights during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The rally moved from the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road to the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer’s office at BRK Bhavan.
Leaders submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudarshan Reddy seeking disclosure of election-roll decisions and an independent review of reported deletions.
The Election Commission has said the figures concern draft-roll deletions, that claims and objections procedures are available, and that SIR decisions were unanimous.
- Who
- Telangana Congress leaders and cadres, including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and TPCC president Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud.
- What
- A protest demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and greater transparency over alleged electoral-roll irregularities; one report also says protesters demanded his arrest.
- When
- Monday.
- Where
- Hyderabad, Telangana, from the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office at BRK Bhavan.
- Why
- Congress alleged that the Special Intensive Revision may have deleted eligible voters and questioned the Election Commission’s independence, decision-making and transparency.
Congress Allegations
Election Commission Response
Electoral-roll deletions
Congress Allegations
Congress cited reports that more than 13 crore names were removed from draft rolls across 30 States and Union Territories and sought an independent review to identify wrongly excluded voters.
Election Commission Response
The Election Commission said the figures referred to deletions from draft rolls and that eligible people could file claims and objections and seek restoration.
Decision-making and internal objections
Congress Allegations
Congress said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions and demanded disclosure of relevant minutes, notes, orders and objections where legally permissible.
Election Commission Response
The Election Commission stated that SIR decisions were taken unanimously and that differences during internal deliberations were part of normal institutional processes.
Institutional independence
Congress Allegations
Congress leaders alleged that the Election Commission had become a tool of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and demanded greater independence, transparency and accountability.
Election Commission Response
The Election Commission’s stated position, as reported, focused on the availability of statutory procedures and the unanimous nature of the SIR decisions.
- Organiser
- Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, responding to a nationwide protest call from the All India Congress Committee
- Main demand
- The resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar; one report also mentions a demand for his arrest
- Issue
- Alleged irregularities and deletion of names during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Protest route
- From the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office at BRK Bhavan
- Memorandum recipient
- Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudarshan Reddy
- Congress requests
- Disclosure of legally permissible records, an independent review of reported deletions, and state-wise and constituency-wise deletion and restoration data
- Election Commission position
- The removals were from draft rolls, statutory claims and objections procedures were available, and SIR decisions were taken unanimously
