Archive · 24 Sep 2026
BJP Defends Election Commission Deliberations as Pure Democracy
The BJP responded to a report about discussions among India’s election commissioners.
The report said Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised concerns about some decisions.
One concern involved deleting names from voter lists.
The discussions were connected to a nationwide review of electoral rolls.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said having different views is normal in a democracy.
He said the final decision to conduct the review was unanimous.
Opposition parties accused the Election Commission and government of acting unfairly and dictatorially.
The BJP rejected those accusations and said the discussions showed that the institution was working democratically.
The BJP called reported differences among election commissioners evidence of democratic deliberation.
The report involved Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raising concerns during the pan-India Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Reported concerns included the possible deletion of voter names in several states.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the report undermined opposition claims that the Election Commission was dictatorial.
Patra said the final decision to conduct the revision was unanimous, despite reported objections during deliberations.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Janata Party, spokesperson Sambit Patra, election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and opposition parties.
- What
- The BJP defended reported deliberations and differences among election commissioners as evidence of democratic functioning during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- When
- Wednesday, September 23, according to the reports; the council of ministers’ review meeting was scheduled to continue through Thursday.
- Where
- At the BJP headquarters in New Delhi; the reported deliberations concerned electoral-roll revisions in various states.
- Why
- The BJP was responding to a media report and opposition allegations that the Election Commission and government were acting dictatorially and enabling vote theft.
BJP’s Position
Opposition’s Allegations
Meaning of differing views
BJP’s Position
The BJP said communication, consultation, and disagreement among election commissioners demonstrate healthy or “pure” democracy.
Opposition’s Allegations
Opposition parties cited the controversy to question the Election Commission’s conduct and accused it of acting like a dictatorship.
Election Commission’s decision-making
BJP’s Position
The BJP maintained that the final decision to undertake the Special Intensive Revision was unanimous, with all three commissioners ultimately on the same page.
Opposition’s Allegations
The reported objections to key decisions, including issues involving voter-name deletions, were presented as grounds for renewed scrutiny of the poll panel.
Relationship with the government
BJP’s Position
The BJP said the Election Commission and other constitutional bodies were functioning democratically and rejected allegations of government control.
Opposition’s Allegations
The Opposition accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of facilitating “vote theft” to benefit the ruling BJP and criticized the government’s role.
- Political party
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- Spokesperson
- Sambit Patra
- Election commissioners named
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi
- Chief Election Commissioner named
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Issue under discussion
- Pan-India Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Reported concerns
- Multiple issues, including deletion of voter names in several states
- BJP’s position
- Deliberations show democratic functioning; the final SIR decision was unanimous
- Opposition allegations
- The Election Commission and government were acting dictatorially and facilitating vote theft
