SIR Controversy: Gyanesh Kumar Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Opposition Cites 14 Objections by 2 Election Commissioners

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has come under fresh criticism from Opposition parties after a report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objected at least 14 times over decisions related to electoral-roll management and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

According to an investigation published by The Indian Express on Wednesday, the two Election Commissioners raised objections over a period of 10 months, including concerns about voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, changes to Form 6 and access to the electoral-roll database. The report said some decisions and orders were issued without the knowledge of the two Commissioners. The Opposition has cited the findings to question the functioning of the three-member Election Commission. LK Advani, Manish Sisodia and Kailash Gahlot Among Delhi Voters Served SIR Notices.

What the Two Election Commissioners Objected To

The reported objections covered several aspects of the electoral-roll process. One major issue concerned Form 6, which is used by citizens applying for voter registration. According to the report, a new declaration linked applicants to the electoral roll from the previous SIR.

Joshi had reportedly objected to the change in May, arguing that the statutory form could not be altered without changes to the relevant rules. Sandhu later backed the objection and described the change as “unauthorised” and “illegal”, according to the investigation.

The two Commissioners also raised concerns over what they described as the gradual centralisation of the electoral-roll database and questioned whether Electoral Registration Officers were receiving adequate access to the systems required for their statutory duties. SIR Notices: Congress Asks ECI To Address Voters’ Concerns Over Risk of Name Deletion.

Opposition Targets Gyanesh Kumar

The report triggered strong reactions from Opposition leaders. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called on the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the reported internal dissent. Congress MP Manish Tewari also questioned the functioning of the poll panel, alleging that an “invisible hand” was influencing the Election Commission.

DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan also criticised the SIR exercise and alleged that the process could affect voters. These are political allegations, and the Election Commission's position on the specific allegations should be distinguished from the Opposition's claims. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj called for Opposition parties to unite over the issue, while Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also criticised the CEC following the report. CPI(M) MP John Brittas separately demanded action against Gyanesh Kumar and called for the SIR exercise to be halted.

What the Report Says About the Election Commission

The Election Commission is a three-member constitutional body comprising the CEC and two Election Commissioners. The Indian Express report said Sandhu and Joshi repeatedly put their concerns on record and that some communications were also sent to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan over changes involving the Commission's IT division.

The report also highlighted provisions under the 2023 law governing the Election Commission. Section 18 provides that the Commission's business should, as far as possible, be conducted unanimously, while differences are resolved through a majority decision. The Election Commission's official directory currently lists Gyanesh Kumar as CEC and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as Election Commissioners.

SIR Has Become a Major Election Issue

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has become a major political and legal issue, particularly because the exercise involves verifying voter records and can result in names being added, deleted or restored.

The Indian Express investigation said the nationwide SIR process had affected more than 13 crore names in draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union Territories. The report said the internal objections related directly to voter registration, deletions, restorations and the management of electoral-roll data.

The reported disagreement therefore goes beyond political criticism of the SIR exercise and raises questions about decision-making and administrative processes within the Election Commission itself. However, the report does not by itself establish misconduct by CEC Gyanesh Kumar or the Election Commission.

Supreme Court Scrutiny Adds to the Debate

The SIR controversy is also being examined in the courts. The Election Commission recently told the Supreme Court that more than 22 lakh voters removed from the West Bengal electoral rolls during the SIR process had filed appeals seeking reinstatement. The EC said 27.16 lakh voters had been deleted through the adjudication process and that more than 38 lakh appeals in total had been filed against inclusions and exclusions.

Against this backdrop, the reported objections by Sandhu and Joshi have given the Opposition another basis to question the Election Commission's handling of electoral-roll revisions.

The Election Commission has not, in the material reviewed for this report, publicly addressed each of the 14 objections individually. The Indian Express said it sent a questionnaire to the Commission on September 21 seeking responses to the concerns but had received no response at the time of publication.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 23, 2026 10:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).