Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Kharge Sets Three Non-Negotiable Demands for Congress
Mallikarjun Kharge leads the Congress party.
He said the party has three demands it will not give up.
He wants the chief election commissioner to resign.
He also wants the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, to be cancelled.
His third demand is to use paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines.
Kharge said Congress workers and INDIA bloc partners are protesting these issues.
His remarks came amid a report that two election commissioners had objected to decisions about the SIR process.
The Election Commission said different views can arise during its discussions.
It also said its orders follow the law and established procedures.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, annulment of the Special Intensive Revision, and elections using ballot papers.
Kharge said Congress workers and INDIA bloc partners were protesting the three issues across the country.
He said Congress supported civil society members and youth organisations campaigning on the issues.
Kharge accused the BJP of harassing female journalists in Delhi and condemned the alleged conduct.
The Election Commission said differing views are part of institutional deliberations and its orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.
- Who
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress, and INDIA bloc partners; the Election Commission responded to the reported objections.
- What
- Kharge set out three demands: Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, annulment of the SIR, and elections using ballot papers rather than EVMs.
- When
- Monday; the article does not specify a date.
- Where
- Across the country; Kharge separately referred to alleged harassment of female journalists in Delhi.
- Why
- Kharge said the demands concern the SIR process and the use of EVMs; his criticism came amid a report about election commissioners objecting to SIR-related decisions.
Congress and Kharge
Election Commission
SIR-related decisions and orders
Congress and Kharge
Kharge called for annulment of the SIR. A cited report said two election commissioners had objected repeatedly to SIR decisions and orders made without their knowledge or recommendation.
Election Commission
The Election Commission said differing views and observations are part of institutional deliberations, and that its orders carry legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
Election method
Congress and Kharge
Kharge demanded that elections be conducted on ballot paper instead of using EVMs.
Election Commission
The article does not provide an Election Commission response to this specific demand.
- Congress president
- Mallikarjun Kharge
- First demand
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Second demand
- Annulment of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
- Third demand
- Elections conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs
- Reported objections
- Election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly objected at least 14 times over 10 months to SIR-related decisions and orders.
- Election Commission response
- It said differing views are part of institutional deliberations and its orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.