By Jagjagran | 1 October 2026
The opposition has escalated its biggest offensive yet against the Election Commission. After a three-and-a-half-hour meeting in New Delhi on 30 September, the INDIA bloc announced a nationwide campaign to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a return to ballot-paper voting, and a march by opposition MPs to the Election Commission on 6 October.
Here's what was decided and why it matters.
WHAT THE INDIA BLOC DECIDED
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced:
→ A nationwide campaign demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's removal.
→ A push to replace EVMs with ballot papers.
→ A march of opposition MPs to the Election Commission on 6 October (moved from 30 September so MPs from both Houses could join).
→ A meeting with the President in the second week of October over alleged SIR irregularities.
→ Joint nationwide rallies, district-level protests, and a possible joint legal challenge.
KHARGE'S DEMANDS
Kharge said the CEC stood "totally exposed" and demanded:
→ His removal.
→ Future elections on pre-SIR electoral rolls.
→ Removal of barriers for first-time voters.
He accused Kumar of acting at the behest of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, whom the bloc called the "real masterminds" of "vote chori." His message to voters: "India wants your voice. India needs your vote."
WHO ATTENDED, WHO STAYED AWAY
Present: Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Supriya Sule, and leaders from 19-20 parties.
Skipped: The DMK ("We invited them, they didn't come," said Kharge), along with the BJD and AAP.
WHAT SPARKED THE ROW
On 23 September, The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions taken during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls — including "unauthorised and illegal" changes to Form 6. The Election Commission insists all decisions were unanimous and notes the Supreme Court upheld the SIR in May 2026.
CAN THE CEC ACTUALLY BE REMOVED?
Here's the reality check. Removing a CEC works like removing a Supreme Court judge — it needs a special majority in both Houses of Parliament (two-thirds of those present and voting, and more than half the total membership).
The opposition doesn't have those numbers. So this is a campaign of political pressure and public messaging, not an imminent removal.
WHAT'S CONFIRMED VS ALLEGED
Confirmed: The SIR is legal (Supreme Court, May 2026). The dissent report exists. The ECI denies wrongdoing.
Alleged / unproven: "Vote chori" remains a political allegation. No court has found evidence of it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What did the INDIA bloc decide on 30 September?
A: A nationwide campaign for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's removal, a return to ballot papers, and a march to the Election Commission on 6 October.
Q: Can the opposition remove the CEC?
A: Not easily. It requires a special majority in both Houses, which the opposition lacks.
Q: Is the SIR legal?
A: Yes. The Supreme Court upheld it in May 2026. The dispute is over how it was carried out.
Sources: The Tribune, ThePrint, The Federal, The Free Press Journal, Oneindia. (Balanced: both ECI/BJP and opposition positions included.)
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