A group of former civil servants, activists and concerned citizens has issued a “chargesheet and notice of impeachment” against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding that he resign over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The delegation included former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, former Intelligence Bureau special director Yashovardhan Azad, former Union secretary Amitabha Pandey and activist Yogendra Yadav, among others. The notice was issued on October 5 amid growing protests and political demands concerning the revision of voter lists.
The group urged Kumar to “resign and avoid any further disgrace”, alleging that his conduct had undermined public confidence in the Election Commission. The notice invoked Article 324(5) of the Constitution, which provides protection to the Chief Election Commissioner from removal except on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
One of the principal allegations concerned the functioning of the Election Commission as a collective body. The signatories alleged that important decisions, including those related to the SIR exercise, were taken without adequate discussion or consideration by the full commission. They also referred to reports that two Election Commissioners had raised objections over decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge.
The notice also raised questions over the alleged unauthorised modification of Form 6, which is used for voter registration. The signatories argued that changes to the form created difficulties for people seeking to restore their names to electoral rolls after being excluded during the revision process.
Another allegation focused on the ECI’s ECINET technology platform. The group claimed that its deployment had undermined the statutory role of Electoral Registration Officers in managing additions, deletions and corrections to electoral rolls. The signatories also pointed to the Election Commission’s decision to establish a committee to examine the functioning of ECINET.
The SIR process itself formed a major part of the allegations. The former officials and activists argued that the exercise was conducted without sufficient preparation, consultation and mechanisms to quickly correct wrongful exclusions. They claimed that the process could result in large-scale disenfranchisement, particularly affecting vulnerable groups.
The notice further accused the CEC of conduct that, according to its authors, created an apprehension of political partisanship and weakened perceptions of the Election Commission’s independence. It also cited Section 32(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, alleging a possible pattern of wilful breach of official duty.
The move comes against the backdrop of growing protests over the Election Commission’s handling of voter-list revisions. On October 6, opposition lawmakers and supporters were detained during a protest march in New Delhi demanding Kumar’s resignation. Opposition leaders have accused the Election Commission of compromising its neutrality, allegations rejected by the ruling BJP, which has defended the voter-list revision process as an effort to identify duplicate or ineligible entries.
The notice represents the latest escalation in the dispute surrounding the Election Commission and the SIR exercise. While the former officials and activists have demanded Kumar’s removal, the allegations contained in the notice remain claims by its signatories and do not by themselves establish wrongdoing.
The controversy is now likely to remain a major political and constitutional issue as questions continue to be raised over electoral-roll revisions, the independence of the Election Commission and the safeguards surrounding India’s voting process.
