Protests swell as India’s election commission faces allegations over voter-roll purge
India’s Election Commission is under intense pressure after a newspaper report claimed key decisions in a nationwide voter-roll cleanup were made without full commissioner approval, sparking large demonstrations demanding chief Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
A recent one outlet's report said that during the 2025 Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, two election commissioners lodged more than a dozen objections, implying that key decisions were taken without the required consensus of the three-member body. The Election Commission of India refutes the allegation, maintaining that all actions were unanimous and within legal bounds. Critics argue the purge, which has removed over 133 million names—about 15 % of the electorate—disproportionately targets marginalized and minority groups.
Opposition figures, including Rahul Gandhi, and the online Cockroach Janta Party have staged rallies in New Delhi and Mumbai, demanding that chief Gyanesh Kumar step down. Kumar, a former IAS officer from Kerala, also faces a state-level probe into alleged corruption dating back to 2006. The Supreme Court has summoned the government and the commission to explain the revision process and will hear further arguments next week.
Why it matters
The controversy could reshape India’s electoral landscape and affect confidence in its democratic institutions.
How this story developed
- Oct 2 Youth party and student groups rally to demand resignation of India's election chief
- Oct 5 Delhi police deployed roughly 5,000 officers and paramilitary units ahead of two anti‑CEC marches.
- Oct 6 Opposition MPs including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were briefly detained during a protest march toward the Election Commission.
- Oct 6 When police barred the INDIA bloc march to the Election Commission, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka redirected the demonstration to the Akashvani Bhavan building.
- Oct 7 Cockroach Janta Party filed a formal notice with Delhi police about an Oct 10 Jantar Mantar protest demanding the CEC’s resignation.
- Oct 7 Police detained Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and other lawmakers during the protest and released them later that evening.
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