Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Opposition Escalates Impeachment Push Against CEC Over SIR Dispute
Opposition parties are asking Parliament to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
They say the Election Commission made improper decisions during a voter-list checking exercise called SIR.
Reports said two other election commissioners objected many times to some of those decisions.
Opposition leaders believe the process could remove people from voter lists unfairly.
They say this could hurt people’s right to choose their government.
Some parties want the SIR exercise stopped and want investigations or criminal action.
Some also want certain past elections cancelled or held again.
Congress leaders say a notice supported by 73 lawmakers is already pending.
Another report says opposition parties are preparing to submit notices soon, creating a discrepancy in the accounts.
The Election Commission has said its decisions were taken unanimously.
INDIA bloc parties intensified demands to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision drive.
Opposition leaders cited reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi repeatedly objected to SIR-related decisions and that a Goa official sought access to facilities eight times without receiving a response.
Congress leaders said an impeachment notice backed by 73 Rajya Sabha MPs was submitted on April 24, 2026, while another report said opposition parties planned to submit notices in both Houses within two weeks.
Opposition parties demanded that the SIR process stop and called for investigations, prosecution, arrests, election cancellations or repolls in several states.
The Election Commission disputed the broader allegations about its functioning, saying its decisions were taken unanimously, while the CPI(M) proposed a new appointment system involving the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Justice of India.
- Who
- Opposition parties and leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, M.K. Stalin, Uddhav Thackeray and other INDIA bloc representatives, are seeking action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- They are demanding Kumar’s impeachment or removal and an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, citing alleged procedural violations and internal objections within the Election Commission.
- When
- The campaign intensified on Wednesday and Thursday. Mallikarjun Kharge referred to a notice submitted on April 24, 2026, while another report said a new notice was expected within two weeks.
- Where
- The demands were raised in Parliament-related proceedings, media conferences and police complaints in New Delhi, and concerned elections or voter rolls in states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
- Why
- Opposition leaders allege that the SIR process and other Election Commission decisions threaten voting rights, institutional independence and democratic accountability.
Opposition Allegations
Election Commission Position
SIR process and electoral rolls
Opposition Allegations
Opposition parties say the SIR exercise is illegal or improperly conducted, could disenfranchise voters and should be halted.
Election Commission Position
The Election Commission disputed the broader characterization of its functioning and said its decisions were taken unanimously.
CEC accountability
Opposition Allegations
Opposition leaders argue that Gyanesh Kumar should be impeached, removed, investigated or prosecuted over alleged unilateral decisions and electoral-roll manipulation.
Election Commission Position
The reports do not provide a detailed response from Gyanesh Kumar, but the Election Commission has rejected the broader allegations about its decision-making.
Election legitimacy
Opposition Allegations
Some opposition leaders want elections in states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana and Tamil Nadu cancelled, reheld or subjected to repolls.
Election Commission Position
No opposing position on fresh elections or repolls is detailed in the supplied articles.
- Central figure
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Reported internal objections
- Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders linked to SIR.
- Opposition notice
- Mallikarjun Kharge said 73 opposition Rajya Sabha MPs submitted a removal notice on April 24, 2026; a separate report said another notice was expected within two weeks.
- Goa communication
- The Goa Chief Electoral Officer reportedly wrote to authorities in Delhi eight times in seven days seeking access to certain facilities without receiving a response.
- Opposition demands
- Parties called for Kumar’s removal, investigations, criminal prosecution, an end to SIR and, in some cases, fresh elections or repolls.
- Voter-deletion allegation
- Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that SIR had deleted 13 crore voters across 19 states and 1.08 crore voters in Karnataka; these figures were presented as Congress allegations.
- Appointment proposal
- The CPI(M) proposed a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Justice of India.
