Congress Stages Nationwide Protests Targetting CEC Gyanesh Kumar...
Congress workers and Indian Youth Congress members held a massive protest demonstration in Dehradun on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief...
By GT24x7 Reporter··GlobalToday24x7
Congress party workers and Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activists held a high-decibel protest demonstration in Dehradun on Friday, September 25, 2026, targeting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Demonstrators gathered in heavy numbers near state administrative premises, chanting provocative slogans alleging institutional collusion and electoral manipulation, including slogans alleging political alignment between election authorities and the ruling party.
The Dehradun demonstration was part of a nationwide agitation called by the Congress leadership, instructing Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) across the country to march to their respective State Election Commission offices. Police forces deployed heavy barricading and water cannons in Dehradun and several other state capitals to prevent protesters from breaching secure administrative zones.
Controversies Surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
The political escalation stems from the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists across multiple states. Opposition parties, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have alleged widespread irregularities, claiming that millions of legitimate voter names—particularly from minority communities and opposition strongholds—have been improperly excluded during draft revisions.
The controversy intensified following media reports alleging internal administrative friction among the three-member election panel regarding procedures for Form 6 modifications, centralisation of voter data, and electoral roll updates. Opposition leaders pointed to these reports to allege a lack of internal consensus and transparency within the election body.
Political Sloganeering and Opposition Demands
During the Dehradun rally, senior state leaders and Youth Congress workers carried banners calling for the immediate removal and arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Addressing the gathered crowd, opposition speakers alleged that democratic processes were being undermined from within election offices and Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters, using slogans targeting the ruling party over voter deletion allegations.
Congress leaders emphasized that institutional independence remains essential for democratic stability, demanding that the notices submitted by opposition lawmakers regarding the election leadership be addressed in parliament. They reiterated calls for a thorough judicial audit of the draft electoral rolls to restore public confidence prior to upcoming electoral cycles.
Election Commission Clarifications and BJP Response
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has firmly rejected claims of internal dissent or procedural impropriety. Official spokespersons clarified that all decisions regarding the SIR exercise were taken unanimously by the full commission, comprising the Chief Election Commissioner and fellow Election Commissioners, following statutory guidelines. The poll body maintained that internal discussions and administrative notes represent routine deliberation rather than systemic failure or formal dissent.
Concurrently, representatives of the Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the opposition's allegations as baseless political rhetoric intended to undermine public trust in constitutional institutions ahead of elections. BJP spokespersons maintained that the SIR is a routine statutory exercise designed to remove duplicate entries, deceased voters, and out-of-district shifts to ensure accurate voter registries, urging opposition parties to follow official appeal mechanisms rather than staging street demonstrations.