CPI, CPI(M) demand resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
A major political storm erupted over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, with the Left parties demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and an instant halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The joint attack from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] comes in the backdrop of media reports revealing that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally recorded objections at least 14 times in the last 10 months against decisions taken under CEC Kumar. The two commissioners had flagged concerns regarding centralisation of the electoral roll database, modifications to voter forms, and voter addition and deletion protocols, even approaching the Cabinet Secretary over the centralisation of control.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the CPI National Secretariat claimed that over 13 crore voters across States and Union Territories were removed during the SIR exercise after objections by the two election commissioners were allegedly overridden.
“The CPI has consistently warned that Governments cannot be allowed to handpick voters in a democracy. CEC Gyanesh Kumar has become the face of the electoral purge, eroding public trust in the constitutional body. He has no right to continue,” the CPI stated, urging the Supreme Court to examine the ECI’s decision-making process. The party also linked the current crisis to the Union Government’s 2023 legislation altering the appointment procedure for CECs and ECs.
Echoing similar concerns, the CPI(M) Politburo declared that the disclosures have severely damaged the credibility and integrity of the poll body.
“According to the law, all three election commissioners are equal, and any difference should be settled by a majority or unanimity. The CEC didn’t follow this rule, but went on imposing his views without caring for the objections raised by his other ECI colleagues,” the CPI(M) said.
The CPI(M) demanded an immediate halt to the SIR process and called for a revised appointment mechanism for election commissioners comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India, in line with Supreme Court guidelines.
Meanwhile, official sources in the ECI defended the functioning of the panel, maintaining that all decisions taken by the ECI — including those related to the SIR exercise — were made unanimously with the concurrence and approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.
