Congress leader alleges electoral manipulation and says protection of the vote is central to the Constitution and democratic system
GTNS , SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 , NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday intensified his criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission, alleging that irregularities in the electoral process had affected elections across the country.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Gandhi linked his allegations to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and recent reports about differences among members of the Election Commission. He demanded Kumar’s resignation and argued that the integrity of the vote is fundamental to the functioning of the Constitution and democratic institutions.
‘Vote is the foundation’
Gandhi said the Election Commission has an institutional responsibility to protect the vote. He argued that if the electoral mandate itself is compromised, the authority of institutions created through elected representatives also comes under question.
His remarks went beyond the current SIR controversy. Gandhi alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha election and several Assembly elections had been “rigged”, while saying that he had presented what he described as evidence for his claims. These remain allegations made by Gandhi and have not been established as facts by an independent adjudication.
Questions over anti-incumbency
During the press conference, Gandhi also referred to electoral changes in states including Haryana, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. He questioned what he described as the disappearance of the traditional anti-incumbency pattern in recent elections.
He contrasted this with earlier elections in which governments and political parties faced electoral reversals after periods in power. Gandhi said the pattern required examination in the context of his wider concerns over the electoral process.
SIR controversy at the centre
The Congress leader’s latest comments came after an investigative report published by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions concerning matters including voter additions and deletions, Form 6 and electoral-roll data management during the period under review.
The issue has since become a major point of political debate, with opposition parties questioning the functioning of the poll panel.
Election Commission rejects ‘rift’ interpretation
The Election Commission has disputed the interpretation that such recorded observations indicate a breakdown within the three-member commission.
The ECI has said that written observations, suggestions and differences during internal deliberations are part of institutional decision-making, and that final decisions, including those concerning SIR, were taken unanimously.
The contrasting positions have placed the functioning of the Election Commission and the management of electoral rolls under renewed public scrutiny.
Demand for resignation
Gandhi called for CEC Gyanesh Kumar to step down, arguing that accountability was necessary over the issues he raised.
The controversy now extends beyond the SIR exercise itself, involving questions about electoral-roll management, institutional decision-making and public confidence in the election process.
For now, Gandhi’s claims remain allegations advanced by the Congress leader, while the Election Commission maintains that its final decisions were taken through the institutional process and unanimously.
GTNS , SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 NEW DELHI