Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Congress Holds Nationwide Protests, Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal
Congress held protests in different parts of India against election official Gyanesh Kumar.
The party says changes to voter lists were unfair and could remove people’s names.
It wants Kumar to resign or be removed.
Congress also wants decisions made during his time reviewed.
Some party leaders said the election process was being harmed and called the situation “Vote Chori.”
They also demanded that the 2025 voter list be cancelled and affected voters restored.
The Election Commission says decisions about the voter-list revision were approved by all three commissioners.
The protests were held in places including Hyderabad, Patna, Srinagar and Lucknow.
Congress organised district-level protests across several states against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The party demanded Kumar’s resignation or removal and a review of decisions taken during his tenure.
Congress and allied protesters opposed the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, calling it illegal.
Party leaders alleged voter deletions and electoral irregularities, accusations the Election Commission has not accepted.
Protests took place in Hyderabad, Patna, Srinagar and Lucknow, among other locations.
- Who
- The Indian National Congress, its state units and allied Left parties protested against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Congress held district-level protests and demanded Kumar’s resignation or removal, along with changes to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- When
- The organisational briefing took place on Sunday, and protests were held on Monday.
- Where
- Protests were organised across India, including in Hyderabad, Patna, Srinagar and Lucknow.
- Why
- Congress says electoral-roll revisions and related decisions involved irregularities and threatened the integrity of elections.
Congress and Protesters’ Position
Election Commission’s Position
Special Intensive Revision
Congress and Protesters’ Position
Congress leaders called the SIR illegal, alleged irregularities in electoral-roll changes and demanded an independent review.
Election Commission’s Position
The Election Commission maintains that decisions on the SIR were approved by all three commissioners.
Chief Election Commissioner
Congress and Protesters’ Position
Congress demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation or removal and, according to Kiran Kumar Chamala, prosecution.
Election Commission’s Position
The Election Commission’s stated position, as reported, is that the relevant SIR decisions had collective approval; it has not accepted Congress’s allegations.
Voter deletions and political influence
Congress and Protesters’ Position
Congress leaders alleged that voters’ names were deleted and that the process helped the Narendra Modi-led government and BJP remain in power.
Election Commission’s Position
The Election Commission has not accepted these allegations in the reports.
- Organising party
- Indian National Congress
- Target
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Main demand
- Kumar’s resignation or removal and review of decisions taken during his tenure
- Main issue
- The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Mobilisation
- More than 1,000 District Congress Committee presidents were briefed virtually
- Reported protest locations
- Hyderabad, Patna, Srinagar and Lucknow
- Election Commission position
- It maintains that SIR decisions were approved by all three commissioners
- Additional demand
- Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala called for revoking the 2025 voter list and restoring 13 crore voters
