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Terming Kumar Prime Minister Narendra “Modi’s favorite”, the principal Opposition party alleged that the complaints clearly state that both Election Commissioners – Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi – are not informed about important decisions.

READ THE EXPRESS INVESTIGATION REPORT HERE | 14 times in 10 months, two Election Commissioners objected on record to poll panel steps

“We have said this before as well – Modi has captured the Election Commission. Gyanesh Kumar is Modi’s puppet. This fact is proven by this report from the .Modi and Gyanesh together have caused great damage to the country’s democracy,” the Congress posted on X.

मोदी के चहेते ज्ञानेश कुमार चुनाव आयोग में अपनी मनमर्जी चला रहे हैं।

👉 इस बारे में खुद दो चुनाव आयुक्तों ने 10 महीने में 14 बार शिकायत की है।

▪️ शिकायत में साफ कहा गया कि दोनों चुनाव आयुक्त – सुखबीर सिंह संधू और विवेक जोशी को महत्वपूर्ण फैसलों की जानकारी नहीं दी जाती। उनसे… pic.twitter.com/uPeLz6NcZF

— Congress (@INCIndia) September 23, 2026

Congress leader Manish Tewari said the findings suggest an ‘invisible hand is running the Election Commission’.

“If the ostensible facts as reported by @IndianExpress are correct then it seems to suggest that there is an ‘invisible hand ‘ running the @ECISVEEP. If rules were not allegedly followed and decisions were taken that were not unanimous or by majority then all the decisions of @ECISVEEP are per -se arbitrary and capricious if not completely illegal. This is perhaps a fit case for serious considering an impeachment proceeding but more importantly the fundamental question is as to how will the credibility of @ECISVEEP


be ever resurrected [sic],” Tewari posted on X.

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Congress MP Manish Tewari on the Express Investigation report.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut targeted Gyanesh Kumar and suggested that the CEC would go to jail. “A-Gyanesh Kumar will go to jail! He will have to go! Their masters will flee the country and run away [sic],” he posted on X.

Sanjay Raut on the Express report

VIDEO | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, “They have revolted… The country is grateful to Sukhbir Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. They have torn the mask off Gyanesh Kumar before the country. They have torn the mask off the Home Ministry. The way people have been winning elections… pic.twitter.com/MLj9k5EUIY

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 23, 2026

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Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram sought to underline that the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that if the decision-making process is flawed or wrong, the decision will also be flawed or wrong. “The Opposition has contended that many decisions concerning the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls were wrong. Now, it is revealed that the decision-making process was also wrong If two ECs have taken a contrary view, how could the CEC make his view the ‘decision’ of the ECI,” he asked.

“All decisions of the ECI in recent years should be reviewed by a Parliamentary Committee. Meanwhile, the SIR process should be suspended immediately all over the country,” he added.

What did the investigation find?

The Express Investigation report found that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had complained on record about being kept in the dark, adding new voters, and deleting names. They said called steps on new voters ‘unauthorised and illegal’. They even warned against voter database access being ‘centralised’ in Delhi, a step which would bypass state officials.

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On concerns over integrity of voter software, the dissenting Commissioners even knocked on the Cabinet Secretary’s door. This marks an unprecedented rupture inside the Election Commission and reveals a cloud over its conduct.

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TMC demands Gyanesh Kumar’s impeachment

TMC MP Derek O’brien, calling for Kumar’s impeachment in a post on X, said, “Five months ago, 60+ Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar” “After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC’s actions, it’s time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy”.

Following the Express report, the Trinamool Congress wrote to the Rajya Sabha Chairman demanding impeachment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. “Five months ago, 60+ Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar. After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC’s actions, it’s time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy,” TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien posted on X.

Five months ago, 60+ Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar

After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC’s actions, it’s time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy pic.twitter.com/bQToB1djjQ

— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 23, 2026

In his letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman, O’Brien wrote: “An Address be presented to the President of India praying for the removal of Shri Gyanesh Kumar from the office of Chief Election Commissioner of India on the ground of proved misbehaviour, as particularised herein in respect of his conduct on and after 15 March 2026.”

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TMC general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, too, called for the immediate removal of the CEC and a court-monitored investigation into the matter.

The CEC must be removed immediately and a court monitored investigation ordered. Disenfranchising lakhs of voters to allegedly benefit one political party strikes at the very foundation of our democracy. Those responsible must be held accountable.

After the West Bengal… https://t.co/i5QUSr5MI0

— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) September 23, 2026

Akhilesh Yadav urges Supreme Court’s intervention

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the investigation directly meant that “all Election Commissioners are not able to perform their rightful duties”.

“If the members of an independent body do not have the freedom to carry out just actions or if there is no hearing of theirs, then these are extremely fatal and dangerous circumstances for democracy. For some people to betray democracy by becoming puppets of those in power is a grave constitutional crime. This is nothing less than a conspiracy to wipe out democracy. Honorable Supreme Court, take suo motu cognizance,” he added.

CPM calls ECI under Gyanesh Kumar ‘autocracy’

CPM MP John Brittas, terming the Commission “a one-man autocracy under CEC Gyanesh Kumar”, he alleged “open subversion of the EC and our democracy too”, seeking the imitation of the process to impeach Kumar.

“Parliament must immediately start the process for the removal of the CEC. We had in fact submitted a notice for removal on 24 th April ,2026 as per the constitutional stipulations – solid grounds and around 70 members signing( 50 in the stipulated number).The Constitution provides this power for precisely such moments of institutional capture and subversion” he said in a post on X.

Five months ago, 60+ Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar

After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC’s actions, it’s time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy pic.twitter.com/bQToB1djjQ

— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 23, 2026

Calling for the annulment of the entire SIR process by the Supreme Court without delay, Brittas argued that when two of the three Commissioners put on record that the exercise is illegal and destructive of the electoral roll’s integrity, “judicial silence becomes complicity.”

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“What Gyanesh Kumar is doing is the death knell of a democratic nation. #Remove the CEC. #Strike down the SIR. Or accept that free and fair elections in India are already being buried” he said.

 

◆ more in this series ◆

‘Illegal, unauthorised’: Election Commissioners objected to Form 6 change

The section itself was not marked mandatory, but applicants could not proceed to submit the form without answering it.

Read the full story →

What Election Commission rift reveals: Cloud over its conduct

There has been dissent within the Election Commission earlier but this one is very different.

Read the full story →

'ECs knocked on Cabinet Secretary’s door over voter software integrity

Over ten months, from November to August, the two Commissioners said so repeatedly and in writing

Read the full story →

14 times in 10 months, two Election Commissioners objected on record to poll panel steps

From keeping them in the dark to adding new voters, deleting names, ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi flagged "unauthorised, illegal" moves.

Read the full story →