India’s election chief faces resignation calls over voter-roll objections
The Cockroach Janta Party and opposition parties cite a newspaper investigation into objections raised by two commissioners during a voter-roll revision. The Election Commission says the allegations show only part of the picture.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is facing calls to resign from the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition parties after The Indian Express reported objections by two fellow commissioners to decisions linked to India’s Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls.
The newspaper reported that Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi made at least 14 formal objections over 10 months. The objections concerned voter registrations, deletions and restorations, as well as control of electoral-roll data. Sandhu reportedly described one action as “unauthorized and illegal”.
The Election Commission of India said the allegations presented “only one part of the picture” and that differing views were a routine part of decision-making. The reported objections and their implications remain contested.
The CJP’s Saturday deadline for Kumar to resign passed without him stepping down. Mumbai police denied permission for a planned October 2 protest, after which supporters staged protests and said they would continue mobilising.
The dispute comes amid broader opposition allegations that the commission colluded with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to manipulate voter lists. The commission and the BJP have denied those accusations.
India’s constitution requires action by both houses of Parliament and a special majority to remove a chief election commissioner. The CJP’s campaign can apply public pressure, but removal depends on that parliamentary process.
