- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and two commissioners approved all orders unanimously, said sources
- Orders include Special Intensive Revision for multiple states and UTs
- Opposition has demanded resignation of Gyanesh Kumar following a report on objections within the commission
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi unanimously approved every order issued for the revision of electoral rolls, sources in the poll body said on Friday. This came two days after The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had recorded objections against decisions taken in the commission's name.
"Both the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner have unanimously approved the SIR [Special Intensive Revision] orders for Bihar, SR [Special Revision] orders of Assam, SIR orders for 12 states and UTs, and then SIR orders for 19 States/UTs," the sources said. Unlike the other states, Assam underwent a Special Revision of its rolls rather than SIR because the state falls under unique provisions of India's Citizenship Act.
The sources said the approved orders include a Declaration Form to be submitted along with Form 6 by new voters, "to reduce paperwork and for the ease of citizens". They said this was "in line with Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950", and "has also been upheld by the Supreme Court". Section 21(3) empowers the Commission to direct a special revision of the electoral roll at any time.
Also Read: Gyanesh Kumar Has An Immunity Pin. Why A Petition Says He Can't Use It
Form 6, the application form for enrolling new voters, is one of the major flashpoints of the row. A petition in the Supreme Court alleges that a condition requiring first-time voters to establish a link to the last SIR was introduced without legislative authority, and was branded "unauthorised and illegal" by a majority of the commissioners. Sandhu and Joshi have not spoken publicly about the objections attributed to them, though the EC has not denied such objections but only said that the final decisions were all unanimous as per the record.
Also Read: How A Change In Form 6 For New Voters Triggered A Big Row
What Poll Body Had Said In First Reaction
The commission first responded on September 23, the day IE published its report that said two commissioners recorded objections on at least 14 occasions between November 2025 and August 2026. In a press note signed by a deputy director-level official, the commission said all its orders, decisions and administrative directions carry full legal sanction, and that differing views are a normal part of deliberations in any institution.
It said suggestions from the commissioners were aimed at improving electoral processes, and maintained that final decisions of the full commission, including those on the SIR, were unanimous.
Demands For Action Against Gyanesh Kumar
The report set off an Opposition offensive, with the Congress demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference, "This is treason... The time will come, we will catch you." Trinamool Congress founder Mamata Banerjee demanded Gyanesh Kumar's arrest in a Facebook video message and announced protests against him. "Re-election must be held in West Bengal with the old voter list," she said, referring to the elections that the BJP won, ending her three-term rule.
The row has also reached the Supreme Court. A petition filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi argues that Gyanesh Kumar cannot claim the immunity granted to commissioners under Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. It demands that he be investigated and tried like any other accused. Section 16 bars courts from hearing civil or criminal cases against serving or former commissioners over acts done in the course of official duty.
