Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Supreme Court to Hear Pleas Seeking CEC Kumar’s Suspension
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear petitions about how India’s Election Commission makes decisions.
The petitions ask the court to suspend Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while it considers the case.
They say some decisions and software changes were made without agreement from the other two commissioners.
They also challenge changes to a form people use to register to vote.
The petitions raise concerns about voter lists in Goa and West Bengal.
They allege that 97 eligible voters could not be restored in Goa and that many appeals were filed in the commission’s name in West Bengal without the other commissioners’ approval.
The Election Commission says disagreements are a normal part of its work.
It says its orders are lawful and follow established procedures.
The court has not yet ruled on the allegations.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear petitions on Monday seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s suspension.
Petitioners allege that Kumar made decisions, issued guidelines and approved software changes without the concurrence of the other two election commissioners.
The pleas challenge changes to voter-registration Form 6, including requirements for ancestral details and links to a previous Special Intensive Revision.
The petitions allege that software could not restore 97 eligible electors in Goa and that more than 16.10 lakh appeals were filed in the Election Commission’s name in West Bengal without authorisation.
The Election Commission says differing views are normal and its orders have legal sanction and follow established procedures.
- Who
- Petitioners Rakesh Kumar Singh and Shailendra Mani Tripathi are challenging actions attributed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas seeking Kumar’s suspension and challenging alleged decisions made without the other commissioners’ concurrence.
- When
- Monday; one report lists the publication date as October 5, 2026.
- Where
- The Supreme Court of India; the petitions also refer to electoral-roll matters in Goa and West Bengal.
- Why
- The petitioners allege that decisions were made without collective approval and challenge related voter-registration and electoral-roll actions.
Petitioners’ allegations
Election Commission’s response
Collective decision-making
Petitioners’ allegations
The petitioners allege that Kumar made decisions without the other commissioners’ concurrence, contrary to collective decision-making requirements.
Election Commission’s response
The Election Commission says differing views and observations are normal in institutional deliberations and its orders follow established statutory procedures.
Form 6 changes
Petitioners’ allegations
The plea alleges that software introduced requirements for ancestral details and a link to the previous Special Intensive Revision without the statutory amendment required under electoral rules.
Election Commission’s response
The Election Commission says its orders carry legal sanction and follow established procedures; the articles do not report a specific response to this Form 6 allegation.
Electoral-roll matters
Petitioners’ allegations
The petitions allege that software could not restore 97 eligible electors in Goa and that more than 16.10 lakh appeals were filed in the Election Commission’s name in West Bengal without the other commissioners’ knowledge or authorisation.
Election Commission’s response
The Election Commission’s reported general position is that its orders have legal sanction and follow established procedures; the articles do not provide a specific response to these allegations.
- Hearing
- Scheduled for Monday
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Petitioners
- Rakesh Kumar Singh and Shailendra Mani Tripathi
- Scheduled bench
- Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana
- Reported objections
- An Indian Express report cited at least 14 objections by the other two election commissioners over the previous 10 months
- Goa allegation
- The plea says software could not restore 97 eligible electors despite directions for verification
- West Bengal allegation
- The petitioner says more than 16.10 lakh appeals were filed in the Election Commission’s name against voters whose names had been restored by judicial officers
- Election Commission response
- It says differing views are normal and its orders have legal sanction and follow established procedures
