Stories
CPI(M) Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation Over 'Special Intensive Removal' of Voters
- •CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby demanded the immediate resignation or removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a "Special Intensive Removal" of voters.
- •Baby cited an Indian Express report indicating two Election Commissioners objected multiple times to SIR decisions, claiming the poll body operates "authoritarian and undemocratic."
- •He stated that CEC Kumar ignored the majority views of his two colleagues, imposing his own, which is "illegal, undemocratic, and authoritarian."
- •The CPI(M) leader called for an immediate halt to the electoral roll revision until all political stakeholders are consulted.
- •The Election Commission of India (ECI) clarified that all official orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures, stating internal notes are standard deliberative checks, not signs of conflict, and major decisions are unanimous.
Key Questions Answered
MA Baby demanded the immediate resignation or removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has become a Special Intensive Removal of voters from electoral rolls. He cited media reports stating that other Election Commissioners raised multiple objections to decisions regarding the SIR process, claiming the poll body was being run in an authoritarian manner.
An investigative report published by The Indian Express revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The Election Commission of India clarified that its official orders carry full legal sanction under Article 324 and follow established statutory procedures. The ECI stated that internal notes and differing observations are standard deliberative checks and balances, and termed the media report a selective portrayal that ignores a larger body of consensus.
