Former BJP minister RK Singh accuses CEC Gyanesh Kumar of illegal voter roll purge

Former Union power minister RK Singh released an open letter accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of contravening the Representation of the People Act during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Singh argues that the SIR, which was rolled out nationally after starting in Bihar, exceeds legal limits by applying a blanket revision and by deleting voter names without the required inquiry, hearing or show-cause notice.

He highlights that appeals against deletions remain pending yet the revised rolls have already been used in elections, which he says is illegal. The letter also criticises new Form 6 requirements that hinder young voters and alleges centralised control of the voter list could be used to target opposition-leaning booths. Congress leader Pawan Khera described the claims as a “devastating indictment” of the Election Commission, and the Supreme Court will hear a petition challenging the SIR’s legality next week.