Opposition rallies nationwide demand CEC resignation as SIR deletes over 130 million voters
The Election Commission of India says the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which removed more than 130 million names, was approved unanimously by the three commissioners. Congress and other leaders of the INDIA bloc have called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, while senior figures from the BJP-led NDA have announced plans for nationwide protests and a parliamentary motion.
Election Commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have filed objections to aspects of the SIR, including changes to Form 6 and access to the EC’s IT system. The Supreme Court has upheld changes to Form 6, and the commission has outlined new outreach measures, including home visits by Booth Level Officers and extended filing deadlines.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 2h later
Why it matters
The dispute over the voter‑list purge could affect the legitimacy of upcoming elections and public confidence in India’s electoral oversight.
How this story developed
- Sep 23 Election Commission denies internal dissent, says all decisions were unanimous
- Sep 23 Congress senior filed a petition urging the Supreme Court to intervene and summon the Election Commission members.
- Sep 25 A Supreme Court petition seeking criminal prosecution of the chief election commissioner was filed.
- Sep 26 The Election Commission announced that Booth Level Officers will visit voters flagged in the SIR to collect supporting documents, with online hearings and additional help desks to be established.
- Sep 27 Opposition parties announced nationwide rallies and a parliamentary motion to force the CEC’s resignation following the removal of over 130 million voter names.
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