I.N.D.I.A. Bloc Allies Demand Stronger Action Against ECI Over SIR

Ahead of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc summit slated for September 30 at New Delhi’s Constitution Club, where discussions are expected to focus mainly on the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the reported division within the poll panel, with two members questioning the authoritarian ways of its chief Gyanesh Kumar, a few of the allies said it is time to take a drastic step to batter the ruling party to submission, considering the “strangulation of democracy” -- as some of them describe recent actions of ECI. They say they will settle for nothing less than Kumar’s exit and a complete rollback of SIR.

Although the discussions at the Constitution Club, not far from the Indian Parliament, would centre on devising a political strategy to push for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, including a joint action in Parliament for the purpose, a few of the allies are rooting for bolder steps to shove the ruling party into a situation where it cannot shield Kumar anymore.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and various other leaders or their representatives of multiple parties will likely turn up for the crucial meeting being held at a time when the government is on the offensive following reports surfacing of a rift within ECI over several contentious decisions over SIR. Since an Indian Express story of September 23 created ripples in Indian politics, the Centre and ECI have fallen back on repeated denials in the face of a no-holds-barred criticism of the running of ECI as an annexe of the government. While the ruling BJP-led NDA has denied any wrongdoing, ECI also tried to project that it is a cohesive entity.

A senior functionary of the Samajwadi Party (SP), whose leader Akhilesh Yadav will be sending a representative to the meeting, said, “We want the bloc to decide on an uncompromising stand because we have come to a situation where the provisions of the Constitution are being sabotaged by the ruling party and an institution that is meant to ensure free and fair polls has long lost its integrity.” He added that an audit of previous elections and how democracy has been routinely given a “slow death” needs to be conducted. “For that to happen, a review of all decisions taken by Gyanesh Kumar has to be brought to the surface. He has to go so that an inquiry can establish all wrongdoings. But then that alone won’t be enough because sensible people within the BJP-led coalition also must demand a change in the way the elections and SIR are done.”

For his part, SP politician and academic Sudhir Panwar states that all opposition parties have criticised ECI since the Indian Express report has come out. “All opposition parties are on the same page but, of course, the intensity of their responses was different. It is now a political battle between the entire opposition and BJP. Again, how BJP’s alliance behaves also matters – SIR issue is close to the hearts of allies like N Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (United), too,” says Panwar, adding that if those allies also should pitch for more transparency, it will help the nation recover from this setback to democracy. As with Akhilesh Yadav not attending the meeting in Delhi, Panwar tells Open, “Akhilesh wants to engage on equal terms with the Congress, especially because the elections are due in Uttar Pradesh in early 2027. He has stated that an SP leader will attend the meeting and that he will support the decision taken by the bloc on ECI. It is a balancing game for reasons to do with elections at a time Congress wants to dominate regional parties.” More importantly, Yadav, Panwar said, has been fighting for ensuring eligible voters are able to exercise their right for far too long, even before the BJP came to power, as early as 2013 when he complained of deletions of many Muslims and Yadavs from electoral rolls in his state.

John Brittas, the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the Rajya Sabha and a member of the central committee of CPM, who is attending the September 30 meeting in New Delhi, wants this conclave to decide on a clear plan of action to save Indian democracy. “ECI has been playing a diabolic game to make sure that BJP remains in power forever, as evident from reports of dissent within the Commission. It is the bounden duty of the I.N.D.I.A bloc to save the country from an election commission that has surrendered itself before the ruling party. This is a fight to save Indian democracy, nothing short of that – and the meeting must chart out plans by first acknowledging that it is a historic occasion for the Opposition to dare and act.” We should also demand a complete rollback of SIR of electoral rolls, he added.

Dipankar Bhattacharya, I.N.D.I.A. bloc ally and General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation – whose student arm AISA and its leader Neha Bora became one of the most prominent faces of the Cockroach Janata Party-led Jantar Mantar agitation recently – has also demanded that SIR be undone and that Gyanesh Kumar resign. Ahead of the grouping’s meeting in Delhi, he told Open, “The ECI has lost every semblance of neutrality, transparency and accountability and SIR has unleashed mass disenfranchisement and multi-layered electoral fraud. The very promise of universal adult franchise and free and fair elections is now in grave jeopardy. As a coalition born out of the need to defend the Constitution and save democracy, I.N.D.I.A. bloc must now intervene collectively and decisively.”

Meanwhile, a Delhi-based Congress leader told Open that the sentiments of all allies will be treated with “respect” and that contrary to claims from a section of leaders there is no question of anyone dominating this meeting, especially because we are all united on this issue, he added.