Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Venugopal Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation Over Voter Rolls
Congress leader K C Venugopal said the chief election commissioner should leave his job.
He was reacting to a newspaper report about concerns raised by two other election commissioners.
The concerns involved how voter lists were being changed and how election data was handled.
Venugopal said many voters in Goa had their names deleted.
He said 38 people complained and that their names were recommended for restoration.
He alleged that the Election Commission did not allow the names to be restored.
He also accused senior BJP leaders and the chief election commissioner of trying to influence voter lists across India.
The reports include Venugopal’s allegations but do not include responses from Gyanesh Kumar, the Election Commission, or the BJP.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation or removal.
Venugopal cited an Indian Express report about objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The reported objections involved voter registration, deletion of names, electoral data access and the Special Intensive Revision process.
Venugopal alleged that voter deletions in Goa were not reversed despite complaints from 38 residents.
He accused Kumar and senior BJP leaders of attempting to manipulate electoral rolls, while the reports provided no response from them.
- Who
- Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were central to the reports.
- What
- Venugopal demanded Kumar’s resignation or removal and alleged that electoral-roll procedures were undermining the election process.
- When
- Wednesday, September 23; one related report was marked 11:47.
- Where
- Venugopal spoke during the Congress’s Goy Rakhonn Yatra in Cumbharjua, Goa, and also posted on X.
- Why
- He was responding to an Indian Express report about objections to decisions involving the Special Intensive Revision and electoral-roll procedures.
Congress allegations
Reported institutional and official position
Electoral-roll changes
Congress allegations
Venugopal alleged that genuine voters were being removed, bogus voters were being added, and the SIR was undermining the electoral process.
Reported institutional and official position
The reports describe objections by two Election Commissioners but do not establish that the alleged manipulation occurred or provide a response from the Election Commission.
Goa voter deletions
Congress allegations
Venugopal said 38 Goa residents complained about deleted names and alleged that the Election Commission did not permit their reinstatement despite a recommendation from the state election commission.
Reported institutional and official position
The reports do not include the Election Commission’s account of the complaints, the recommendation, or the alleged decision not to restore the names.
Political responsibility
Congress allegations
Venugopal accused Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of conspiring to influence India’s election system.
Reported institutional and official position
The provided articles offer no response from Kumar, Modi, Shah or the BJP to these accusations.
- Main demand
- Venugopal demanded the immediate resignation or removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
- Reported objections
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly raised objections over decisions related to electoral rolls.
- Process involved
- The Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls.
- Goa claim
- Venugopal said many voters were deleted during the SIR and that 38 residents complained about deletions.
- Venugopal’s allegations
- He alleged that genuine voters were being excluded and bogus voters added, and called Kumar the chief architect of a nationwide “Vote Chori” exercise.
- Political reference
- Venugopal said the report proved Rahul Gandhi’s earlier criticism of Kumar was correct.
- Responses
- The provided reports do not include responses from Kumar, the Election Commission, the BJP, or the senior leaders Venugopal named.
