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Chidambaram Urges CEC Gyanesh Kumar to Resign Amidst SIR Row and Internal Dissent
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News18•03-10-2026, 19:15
Chidambaram Urges CEC Gyanesh Kumar to Resign Amidst SIR Row and Internal Dissent
- •P Chidambaram called for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's immediate resignation, citing internal dissent and controversies surrounding the voter roll revision process (SIR).
- •Chidambaram stated that Gyanesh Kumar's departure is inevitable, with the INDIA bloc and civil society groups intensifying protests until he steps down.
- •He highlighted concerns from senior poll officials in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha regarding the central poll panel's conduct.
- •Chidambaram urged state-level election officials to speak out about instructions received and compliance regarding the "illegal" SIR process.
- •The controversy follows reports of two Election Commissioners, Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Sandhu, formally objecting to decisions 14 times over 10 months, particularly concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Key Questions Answered
P Chidambaram demanded the immediate resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar following controversy and internal dissent surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls and reports of friction within the poll panel.
Reports indicated that Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Sandhu formally recorded objections 14 times on key panel files and decisions pushed through without full consensus.
The Election Commission stated that differing views are normal in a collegial body, final decisions including the SIR were approved unanimously, and no names are deleted without proper due process and field verification.
