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More political news

The Election Commission defended its Special Intensive Revision process after a report highlighted objections raised by commissioners over certain decisions.

Election Commission Defends SIR Decisions, Says All Orders Carry Full Legal Sanction

The Election Commission defended its Special Intensive Revision process after a report highlighted objections raised by commissioners over certain decisions.

The Election Commission on Wednesday responded to a report by The Indian Express claiming that two of the three Election Commissioners had objected to decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The report stated that "Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions taken and orders issued without their knowledge."
In its response, the Election Commission said all orders issued by it have full legal sanction, while noting that questions and suggestions raised by members during the drafting stage are part of the normal institutional process.
"The ECI is a constitutional body that functions under the strict mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, statutory rules and established institutional conventions. The Commission operates as a multi-member constitutional body. Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks-and-balances are standard, ongoing practices designed to ensure complete transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour. All actions of ECI have been in accordance of laws and instructions of the Commission. All official orders, decisions and administrative directions issued by the Commission carry full legal sanctions and follow established statutory procedures... Any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights. The suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes."
The Commission said differences in views during deliberations were a normal part of institutional decision-making and did not indicate a divergence in final decisions.
"They are a part of the decision-making process before a final decision is taken. Not only the three Commissioners, but every officer of the Commission is fully authorized to give his suggestions to the Commission for improving the electoral system. Highlighting certain specific internal notes/observations spread over the period of 10 months while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives give only one part of the picture. In recent months, the Commission has taken numerous decisions, issued instructions, introduced around 40 new initiatives and undertaken many electoral reforms including the conduct of Electoral roll revision (including SIR) across the country. All these decisions are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full Commission in the past one year," the EC said.
The Election Commission also highlighted the conduct of elections in several states and reiterated its commitment to carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
"The Commission has recently successfully conducted major elections of Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal and election-related exercises during this period. This work involved wide-ranging administrative and operational machinery and many Commission approvals and instructions. The Commission&rsquo;s digital platforms, such as ECINet, operate under strict data security protocols to prevent unauthorized tampering, manipulation, etc. IT security checks and audit controls are standard cybersecurity measures implemented across national databases. Statutory authorities, including Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and District Election Officers (DEOs), function as per statutory powers for registration and deletion under law. The Election Commission of India remains fully committed to executing its constitutional duties with complete integrity, recognizing its vital role in advancing our democracy," the statement noted.
The EC's statement came amid a political controversy that erupted following *The Indian Express* report. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi questioned the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that "vote chori" amounted to a crime against the people and an attack on the Constitution.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served."
In a video message, Gandhi directly addressed the Election Commission and election officials, saying, "I am clearly telling the Election Commission and election officers: What you are doing is wrong. This is treason, it is against the nation. Do not forget this. The time will come! We will catch you! You will not be spared."
Similar criticism of the Election Commission and the CEC was voiced by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, UBT Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI-M MP John Brittas and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Opposition parties have called for the removal of the CEC, alleging that the Election Commission was interfering with the electoral process and raising concerns over the functioning of democratic institutions.

Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned whether India’s 7.8% GDP growth in Q1 FY27 is translating into jobs and opportunities for the youth, criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of strong economic growth.

Pawan Khera Hits Back At Modi Over 7.8% GDP Growth, Asks ‘Where Are The Jobs?’

Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned whether India&rsquo;s 7.8% GDP growth in Q1 FY27 is translating into jobs and opportunities for the youth, criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s claims of strong economic growth.

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday questioned whether India's latest economic growth figures are translating into jobs and opportunities for young people.
His remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India's 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the first quarter of financial year 2026-27.
Khera argued that strong growth in a single quarter should not be portrayed as a broad economic turnaround.
"One quarter of 7.8% growth is not an economic spring," Khera said in a post on X.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
One quarter of 7.8% growth is not an economic spring. If India has truly "bloomed," why do rampant unemployment, leaked exam papers, and a crumbling education system define the ground reality? Why is the republic's prosperity not translating into the prosperity of its public?&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/czpnK4JsaC">pic.twitter.com/czpnK4JsaC</a>
&mdash; Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 ಪವನ್ ಖೇರಾ (@Pawankhera) <a href="https://x.com/Pawankhera/status/2094408170110410872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Congress leader also pointed to unemployment, examination paper leaks and concerns surrounding the education system while challenging the government's claims of economic progress.
"If India has truly "bloomed," why do rampant unemployment, leaked exam papers, and a crumbling education system define the ground reality?" he questioned on X.
Khera further argued that GDP figures alone do not reflect whether ordinary citizens are benefiting from economic expansion.
"GDP measures national output - not jobs, not wages, not opportunity. If it measured any of those, the future of India's youth would not look so bleak," he said.
He also took aim at the Prime Minister over his messaging on the latest growth figures.
"Modi can manage his headlines. For India's youth, the question remains the same as ever: Where are the jobs?"
&nbsp;
PM Modi Hails GDP Growth
Earlier on Monday, PM Modi described India's 7.8 per cent GDP expansion in Q1 FY27 as a "herculean feat".
The Prime Minister said the growth came despite several external challenges, including fluctuations in oil prices, supply chain disruptions and continuing uncertainty in the global economy.
"India's exemplary GDP growth of 7.8 per cent during Q1 of FY 2026-27 is a herculean feat," PM Modi said in a social media post.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
India&rsquo;s exemplary GDP growth of 7.8% during Q1 of FY 2026-27 is a herculean feat. The collective strength of our people ensured India delivered such growth despite oil price shocks and supply chain issues in the midst of global uncertainties. Doomsayers were doomed and India&hellip;
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2094384211960721459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He credited the collective strength of Indians for helping the economy maintain its momentum despite global pressures.
"The collective strength of our people ensured India delivered such growth despite oil price shocks and supply chain issues in the midst of global uncertainties," the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also used the phrase "Doomsayers were doomed, and India bloomed...yet again!" while reacting to the latest GDP numbers.
The contrasting reactions from the BJP and Congress come after India recorded 7.8 per cent real GDP growth in the April-June quarter, exceeding the Reserve Bank of India's earlier projection of 7 per cent.

An FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani over his remarks on a ‘shuddhikaran yagya’ following a Congress rally. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP and RSS of targeting Gandhi.

Haldwani ‘Shuddhikaran’ Row: FIR Against Rahul Gandhi, Congress Hits Back

An FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand&rsquo;s Haldwani over his remarks on a &lsquo;shuddhikaran yagya&rsquo; following a Congress rally. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP and RSS of targeting Gandhi.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has hit out at the BJP and RSS after an FIR was registered against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in connection with his remarks on a purification ritual in Uttarakhand's Haldwani.
The FIR was registered by Haldwani City Kotwali Police following a complaint over Gandhi's public comments regarding a 'shuddhikaran yajna' held in the city on Sunday.
The Congress has alleged that the action against Gandhi came while no action had been taken against those accused of carrying out the alleged discriminatory ritual.
Taking to X, Ramesh accused the BJP-RSS of targeting those raising concerns over caste discrimination instead of acting against those responsible.
"Rahul Gandhi Ji raised the issue of injustice, humiliation, and discrimination faced by Dalits in his press conference, and the BJP-RSS took less than 24 hours to prove him right. He highlighted the issue of untouchability and humiliation carried out in the name of "purification" after the rally of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in Uttarakhand, and demanded action against the BJP workers involved in it."
Ramesh also accused the Uttarakhand government of attempting to silence opposition voices.
He argued that the Constitution acts as a safeguard against discriminatory practices and alleged that this was the reason it faced opposition from the ruling establishment.
"This did not sit well with the BJP-RSS's double-engine government in Uttarakhand. That's why, even today, no action has been taken against the accused, but an FIR was filed against Rahul Gandhi, who is demanding justice, the very next day. This is the very mindset against which Baba Saheb's Constitution stands as the greatest wall. That's why the Constitution irks them; that's why they want to change it," he said.
The FIR was filed following a complaint by Amit Kumar, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community.
Kumar alleged that Gandhi's remarks had hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community.
Rahul Gandhi had reportedly described the 'shuddhikaran yagya' as anti-Dalit.
The purification ritual was organised by a Hindu organisation after a Congress rally in Haldwani on August 8, which was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the successful completion of 'Operation Tiger' after six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs joined the ruling Shiv Sena, strengthening his position within the Mahayuti alliance.

'Operation Tiger is complete,' roars Shinde as 6 Uddhav MPs join his Sena; calls them Dhurandhar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the successful completion of 'Operation Tiger' after six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs joined the ruling Shiv Sena, strengthening his position within the Mahayuti alliance.

"Operation Tiger is complete now," announced Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday, as all six rebel Lok Sabha members from the Shiv Sena (UBT) officially crossed over to the ruling Shiv Sena, formalising another split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
The rebels joined the Shiv Sena at an event in the presence of Shinde and other senior party leaders, five days after skipping a crucial parliamentary party meeting of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by only three Lok Sabha MPs of the Opposition party.
The Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) who crossed over are: Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omprakash Rajenimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi).
"My operations are fool proof," said Shinde while referring to the six defected MPs as Dhurandhar (stalwarts/experts) who are connected to ground.
"Operation Tiger" is now complete and successful," the Deputy CM declared while talking to reporters and added the Shiv Sena is now the second largest party in Maharashtra in terms of MPs.
Notably, Operation Tiger was the name given to the Shiv Sena's move to engineer defections in the Thackeray camp and wean over MPs to its side.
These rebel parliamentarians had won against BJP and Shiv Sena candidates in the 2024 general elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had bagged nine Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in 2024.
The entry of the dissident MPs in the Shiv Sena is expected to give a boost to bargaining power of Shinde in the ruling coalition Mahayuti, which also consists of the BJP and the NCP.
Shinde said, "These Lok Sabha members have now joined the original Shiv Sena that follows the teachings of (party founder) late Balasaheb Thackeray. Four years back I took a strong step and now I have hit a sixer (a reference to the number of MPs who have switched loyalties)."
He also referred to his rebellion in June 2022 in the united Shiv Sena which brought down the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and catapulted him to the post of chief minister.
"I did it earlier (split Shiv Sena) to save the principles of late Balasaheb Thackeray and to save the Shiv Sena. Now, this move (rebellion in the Lok Sabha wing of the Sena UBT) is the second stage of Shiv Sena expansion," Shinde asserted.
All of them will contest on the Shiv Sena symbol in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls from their respective constituencies and will get elected for sure, he said while responding to a question.
"Maharashtra is a progressive state. New people are joining our party because our agenda is of development and progress. You know that I am a man who keeps his word. People are trusting me and the Sena, which is a party of workers and common person," he insisted.
Without taking names of Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, Shinde advised them to introspect instead of resorting to abuses, an oblique reference to Thackeray aide and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, who launched an expletive-laden tirade against the rebels last week.
"It is time for introspection for those whose party these MPs have left. They start abusing in the morning, and change the tone in the evening and try to appease them. There seems to be some problem with them," Shinde said.
The Deputy Chief Minister noted the rebel MPs consulted their supporters before switching sides and assured his full support to them.
"All these MPs have spoken to their supporters and then decided to join the Shiv Sena. I am there to solve even your personal problems," Shinde maintained.
"Those who have been abusing us since 2022, let them do their work. They will increase their troubles," he said, taking potshots at his rivals in the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Shinde assured there will be no shortage of funds for development of the Lok Sabha constituencies represented by the rebel MPs.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a sharp attack on Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of arrogance and poor leadership, while urging Mamata Banerjee to choose between her nephew and veteran party loyalists.

'Choose between Abhishek and me': Kalyan issues ultimatum to Mamata amid TMC imbroglio

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a sharp attack on Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of arrogance and poor leadership, while urging Mamata Banerjee to choose between her nephew and veteran party loyalists.

Senior TMC leader and MP Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday issued an ultimatum to party supremo Mamata Banerjee to choose between her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and veterans like him, accusing the party national general secretary of &ldquo;arrogance&rdquo; and &ldquo;fluctuating mindset&rdquo;.
Kalyan, also a senior advocate, declared he would remove himself from all legal matters and court petitions concerning Abhishek, although the MP said he would continue contesting cases related to the party.
The development comes amid the TMC supremo facing a serious existential crisis following fractures at both the Bengal assembly and in Parliament alongside multiple resignations, with an overwhelming majority of rebel MLAs and MPs challenging Abhishek&rsquo;s leadership after the party&rsquo;s assembly poll debacle.
Kalyan, who resigned as the TMC chief whip in Lok Sabha in August last year and was recently reappointed to the post in the wake of the rebellion of 20 party MPs in the Lower House, has so far remained among the few still standing in support of the Mamata Banerjee-led party structure and has strongly criticised the rebel camp.
The rift between the two leaders, however, came to a tipping point after Kalyan &ndash; who had been representing Abhishek in the Calcutta High Court in a signature forgery case of the CID &ndash; was allegedly informed that a separate writ petition was filed by the Diamond Harbour MP with regard to the search operations conducted by the agency at the TMC office at Mamata Banerjee&rsquo;s Kalighat residence and Abhishek&rsquo;s Camac Street office.
&ldquo;The two cases are connected, and I had mentioned the search operation issue before the bench that was hearing the signature forgery matter. The legal strategy was to seek leave in the forgery case, citing the illegal search operation. The judge had listed the matter to be heard on Thursday. Post midnight, some emissaries of Abhishek came to me to inform that a separate writ has been filed on the CID raid issue. I was taken aback since I had no knowledge of it,&rdquo; Kalyan told reporters.
The advocate alleged that when he asked why he wasn&rsquo;t taken into confidence, they told him that it was done &ldquo;on directions from the top&rdquo;.
&ldquo;Had I known about this, I wouldn&rsquo;t have mentioned the matter before the judge because two separate benches cannot hear the same matter. Abhishek has many advisors, and so I have told the party I would not represent him in any court cases in future, as it is impossible to deal with such arrogance and fluctuating mindset. I was later informed that a junior lawyer would contest his cases,&rdquo; Kalyan said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Sreerampur lashed out at Abhishek, alleging that the party supremo's nephew showed &ldquo;no respect&rdquo; for his &ldquo;45-year professional experience&rdquo;.
&ldquo;Why did he ask me to represent him if he had no trust in my abilities. Let his legal advisors guide him from now. I am not to be treated like a dustbin or an employee of his Camac Street office,&rdquo; Kalyan asserted.
The Sreerampur MP said the ball is now in Mamata Banerjee&rsquo;s court to decide on whether to run the TMC with her nephew or with party loyalists like him.
&ldquo;I will remain in this party only if Abhishek is removed from all leadership positions and retained only as an ordinary worker. Abhishek, who misbehaves with seniors and has the attitude of a boss, cannot be my leader in the party. I am sorry to say it will not be possible for me to remain in the TMC, if Didi (Mamata Banerjee) retains him as the leader,&rdquo; Kalyan said.
&ldquo;Didi must take the final call on whether she will retain her blood relative or workers like me, who have put in 40 years of our lives for her and this party,&rdquo; he added.
Holding Abhishek responsible for the assembly poll debacle, Kalyan alleged that Abhishek&rsquo;s &ldquo;continued arrogance&rdquo; stemmed from his &ldquo;denial of his gross unpopularity among people and party workers&rdquo;.
&ldquo;He seems to be failing to understand that the party faced a humiliating defeat in the elections and has been destroyed because of his policies and functioning style. He seems to be in denial that he has turned grossly unpopular among the people and party workers. It is because of him that people are calling me a &lsquo;thief&rsquo; although my political career is free of graft charges,&rdquo; he said, asserting that Mamata Banerjee is the only leader he follows.
Referring to his face-off with Abhishek in 2022, which centred on leadership, favouritism, and decision-making within the party &ndash; a clash widely seen at that time as a fissure between the party&rsquo;s old guards and new &ndash; Kalyan maintained that he was among the first to question the leadership style of Mamata Banerjee&rsquo;s nephew.
&ldquo;I was the only one then to raise my voice against him, foretelling this doom. I am consistent in my stand,&rdquo; he said.
Kalyan&rsquo;s son, Sirsanya, who unsuccessfully contested the recently-concluded state polls from the Uttarpara seat and has remained Abhishek&rsquo;s co-counsel in the fake signature case, attributed &ldquo;maintaining self-respect&rdquo; as reason for his quitting the job alongside his father.
&ldquo;I wore this lawyer&rsquo;s gown long before Abhishek Banerjee became the party&rsquo;s national general secretary. It is out of self-respect that I chose to stand down,&rdquo; he said, adding his decision will have no impact on his defending other TMC workers and leaders in court.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted Abhishek interim protection from any coercive action in a signature forgery case over the party's choice of Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, provided the leader extended full cooperation to the CID investigation.
Abhishek, who has so far skipped three agency summonses, reached the Bhabani Bhaban CID headquarters to face questions from the investigating officers following his return from Delhi, in compliance with the newly set appearance deadline on 6 pm.

Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee asserted that the dissident faction is the real TMC, claimed support of 64 MLAs, and ruled out any merger with Congress amid Mamata Banerjee's meetings with Congress leaders.

Rebel Trinamool leader Ritabrata claims dissident camp is ‘real TMC’, rules out merger with Congress

Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee asserted that the dissident faction is the real TMC, claimed support of 64 MLAs, and ruled out any merger with Congress amid Mamata Banerjee's meetings with Congress leaders.

As Mamata Banerjee's meetings with the Congress leadership fuelled fresh speculation about the future of her embattled faction, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed ownership of the Trinamool Congress itself, declaring that the dissident camp was the "real TMC" and had no plans to merge with the grand old party.
Claiming that the strength of the dissident bloc had risen from 58 to 64 MLAs, Ritabrata said the rebels enjoyed the support of a majority of the party's legislators and a growing number of MPs, and would continue to function under the Trinamool Congress banner.
"We are the real Trinamool Congress. We are not merging with the Congress," Ritabrata told reporters outside the state assembly.
His remarks came amid heightened political speculation following Mamata Banerjee's meeting with Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and reports of consultations between Abhishek Banerjee and senior Congress leaders in the national capital.
The meetings have fuelled intense chatter in political circles over the future course of the diminished Mamata-led faction of the TMC at a time when the party is battling the biggest internal crisis in its 28-year history.
Ritabrata, however, dismissed suggestions that the organisation could become part of any Congress-led arrangement.
"The number of MLAs with us has already crossed 64. It may become 65 tomorrow when another MLA joins us. Naturally, we are the real Trinamool Congress. Who meets whom in Delhi is their matter and is immaterial for us," he said.
The rebel leader said a fresh communication reflecting the changed strength of the legislative bloc would be submitted to the Speaker.
He further claimed that the dissident camp commanded support not only among MLAs but also among MPs, local body representatives and district-level leaders.
"Most legislators are not merging with the Congress. Most MPs are not merging with the Congress. Many district leaders and local body representatives are also not merging with the Congress. Then where is the question of a merger?" he asked.
Ritabrata also reiterated that the rebel MPs in the Lok Sabha would continue to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
The statement assumes significance as 20 rebel TMC MPs have already informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the formation of a separate parliamentary bloc under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and pledged support to the NDA.
The TMC's organisational crisis burst into the open earlier this week when a rebellion that had first fractured its ranks in the West Bengal Assembly spread to Parliament.
The parliamentary rupture came days after 58 TMC MLAs, a figure the rebel camp now claims has climbed to 64, defied the party leadership and backed expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition instead of the party's official nominee, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
The twin rebellions have plunged Mamata Banerjee's party into arguably the gravest crisis since its formation in 1998, transforming what began as internal dissent into a battle over legislative strength, parliamentary numbers, organisational control and political legitimacy.
The split has steadily widened from the Assembly to Parliament, with senior Rajya Sabha members Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Sushmita Dev resigning from both the Upper House and the party.
Against this backdrop, the Delhi meetings between Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee and the Congress leadership have acquired added political significance, with speculation rife that sections of the TMC still loyal to the Banerjees could explore closer ties or a merger with the Congress.
Though neither side has publicly spoken of a merger, the meetings have generated enough political buzz for the rebel camp to repeatedly clarify its position.
Asked what would happen if Mamata Banerjee eventually decided to merge her faction with the Congress, Ritabrata avoided a direct answer.
"Tomorrow will answer tomorrow's questions. As of today, the number is 64 and counting," he said.
The remark underscored the fluidity of a political crisis that has already redrawn Bengal's political landscape and left the once-dominant TMC battling simultaneous challenges to its legislative strength, parliamentary presence and organisational coherence.
For now, while Mamata Banerjee's camp is engaged in conversations in Delhi, the rebel faction appears determined to send a different message from Kolkata -- that the fight is no longer merely over numbers, but over who gets to claim ownership of the TMC itself.

Trinamool Congress faces a deepening internal crisis as a group of rebel MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, claim majority support for backing the NDA, adding to recent unrest within the party's legislative ranks.

TMC rebellion spreads from assembly to Parliament, breakaway camp claims support of 20 MPs

Trinamool Congress faces a deepening internal crisis as a group of rebel MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, claim majority support for backing the NDA, adding to recent unrest within the party's legislative ranks.

After a split between its MLAs, the Trinamool Congress appeared headed for an implosion in Parliament, with a group of MPs claiming majority support deciding to ditch Mamata Banerjee and back the BJP-led NDA.
On a day when TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee were attending the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who is at the forefront of the rebel faction, said they had decided to write to Speaker Om Birla declaring support for the NDA.
The crisis engulfing the TMC deepened on Monday with Ghosh Dastidar claiming that 20 MPs of the party have decided to write to the speaker.
Speaking to PTI over phone, Ghosh Dastidar said, "Nearly twenty TMC MPs, including me, have decided to write to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and formally support the NDA."
Sources said the dissident MPs intend to argue before the speaker that Ghosh Dastidar continues to be the chief whip of the party in the Lok Sabha.
"We have accepted the people's verdict and believe that our future political course should be aligned with the NDA," Ghosh Dastidar said.
A TMC leader, however, said the party had communicated its decision to remove her as chief whip and appoint Kalyan Banerjee to the Lok Sabha Secretariat through an official letter dated May 20, signed by TMC Parliamentary Party Chairperson Mamata Banerjee.
A copy of the letter shared by party sources showed a stamp of receipt from the speaker's office dated May 29.
According to sources, the rebel MPs have chosen not to immediately resign from the TMC or join the BJP.
Instead, they intend to function as a separate bloc supporting the NDA, a strategy designed as a shield against the anti-defection law.
The arithmetic is politically significant.
The TMC currently has 28 Lok Sabha MPs, with one vacancy following the death of Basirhat MP Haji Nurul Islam.
The support of 20 MPs would comfortably cross the two-thirds threshold needed to thwart the invocation of the anti-defection law.
The TMC leader, however, reiterated that even securing that number would not automatically enable the rebel faction to function as a separate parliamentary group.
"As per the law, even if two-thirds of MPs wish to leave a party, the only choice they have is to merge with another political party. There is no provision for a separate group," the leader said.
A group of dissident MPs, meanwhile, held a meeting at BJP leader Bhupender Yadav's residence in Delhi, a source said.
A photograph purportedly from the meeting circulating online showed Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray, along with MPs Abu Taher, Asit Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Jagadish Basunia, Prasun Banerjee, Sharmila Sarkar, and Satabdi Roy.
Party sources also said around 20 MPs attended an informal gathering at an undisclosed location in the national capital late Sunday night.
According to sources familiar with the meeting, the MPs discussed possible courses of action and expressed their displeasure over the existing party's parliamentary leadership structure.
TMC MP Sougata Roy dismissed suggestions of an exodus.
"I have heard that some MPs held a separate meeting last night. Only they can say what transpired in the meeting. I was not contacted by them," he said.
Asked about reports of attempts by the BJP to reach out to TMC MPs, Roy said he had been contacted but declined the offer.
"I told them I will remain with the TMC. At this age, it won't be possible for me to change camp," the 78-year-old four-term MP told PTI.
Ray, who attended the meeting at Yadav's residence, resigned from the Rajya Sabha as well as the primary membership of the party and issued a statement accusing the TMC of "15-year anarchical rule" before the BJP came to power in the state.
His resignation from the Rajya Sabha has been accepted by RS Chairman C P Radhakrishnan.
"I have met the Rajya Sabha chairman and submitted my resignation. I have conveyed my decision to resign from the party through WhatsApp and email to Mamata Banerjee," Ray told reporters.
"I had my tenure till 2029 in the Rajya Sabha, but I have resigned in principle from the party as it would be difficult for me to continue," he said.
Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee, who now heads the breakaway faction in the West Bengal Assembly, described Ray's resignation as a sign of rising dissent in the party and claimed more parliamentarians could publicly distance themselves from the TMC in the coming days.
The development comes barely days after the TMC leadership suffered a setback in the West Bengal Assembly, where 58 of its 80 MLAs defied the party high command's decision to appoint veteran leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of the Opposition and elected expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee to that post.
The political turbulence that has gripped the TMC since its electoral debacle has veritably softened party supremo Mamata Banerjee, who attended the INDIA bloc meeting here with a reconciliatory approach to chart a pan-India strategy against the BJP.

Opposition INDIA bloc leaders resolved to seek Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-CBSE controversy and write to the Chief Justice on electoral roll revision and alleged vote irregularities.

INDIA bloc meeting: Oppn leaders vow unity, seek Pradhan's resignation, to write to CJI on SIR

Opposition INDIA bloc leaders resolved to seek Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-CBSE controversy and write to the Chief Justice on electoral roll revision and alleged vote irregularities.

Stressing unity against the BJP, the opposition INDIA bloc members on Monday unanimously decided to demand Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's immediate resignation over the NEET-CBSE row and write to the chief justice of India on the SIR exercise and &ldquo;vote loot&rdquo;.
At the meeting, top leaders of several opposition parties called for the need to safeguard democratic values and address people-centric issues such as unemployment, price rise, &ldquo;atrocities&rdquo; against oppressed sections, and sought an all-party meeting to discuss them along with the &ldquo;precarious&rdquo; economic situation in the country.
They also decided to meet after every two months to ensure opposition unity, with the next meeting scheduled in Hyderabad for August, while continuing with Parliament coordination during the upcoming Monsoon Session.
The BJP has called the INDIA bloc &ldquo;a figment of imagination&rdquo; that lacked conviction on the ground, claiming that there was an implosion within the opposition alliance with disagreements involving the Congress, DMK, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Left parties.
Leaders of 22 opposition parties and Independent MP Kapil Sibal were part of the deliberations that lasted for more than two-and-a-half hours at the Constitution Club, amid a BJP surge in the run-up to the next Assembly elections cycle and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier, Kharge had said that leaders of 25 opposition parties met on Monday.
The DMK, a key INDIA bloc constituent, did not attend the meeting, while the AAP had already distanced itself from the grouping.
Despite speculation, Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s ruling party TVK did not attend the opposition meeting.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of differences emerging among some of the INDIA bloc partners, including the Left and the Congress over the charge made during the recent Kerala polls that the Left had a political understanding with the BJP.
John Brittas of the CPI-M and D Raja of the CPI raised the issue with the Congress during the meeting.
Trinamool Congress&rsquo; Mamata Banerjee raised the issue of alleged "political retribution" during and after the recent West Bengal polls.
The deliberations began with a call to forge unity and rework the opposition strategy to take on the BJP, while ironing out the differences within after the defeat of regional outfits Trinamool Congress and DMK in the recent Assembly polls in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
The meeting also came at a time when the Narendra Modi government completed 12 years in office in its third consecutive term.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, &ldquo;We have agreed on five issues. A letter would be sent to the chief justice of India (CJI) soon on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, &lsquo;vote loot&rsquo; and &lsquo;stealing of elections&rsquo;.
&ldquo;It was also unanimously agreed to demand the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan because he presided over the betrayal of lakhs of youth who appeared in NEET and CBSE," he said.
Flanked by Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and other senior leaders of the grouping, Kharge said, &ldquo;We are going to raise many people-centric issues, which all the parties have unanimously agreed to.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The opposition leaders also decided to continue coordination during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, with daily morning meetings at the office of the leader of opposition,&rdquo; he added.
The Congress veteran also said that all the opposition leaders aired their views freely at the meeting, which Shiv Sena-UBT's Uddhav Thackeray and JMM's Hemant Soren joined virtually.
Among those who attended the meeting were Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge from the Congress, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress, Akhilesh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party, Tejashwi Yadav from the RJD, Omar Abdullah from the National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti from the PDP, along with Left leaders.
NCP(SP) leader Supriya Sule, CPI(M)'s Brittas, CPI's Raja and leaders of some smaller parties were also part of the deliberations.
Kharge urged the opposition leaders to strengthen unity to confront the political, economic, social and foreign policy challenges facing the country due to the Modi government's "misgovernance".
He claimed that the assault on the Constitution continued while the probe agencies were persistently being used as tools to &ldquo;harass&rdquo;, &ldquo;intimidate&rdquo;, and &ldquo;bully&rdquo; political opponents.
He also pointed to the "complete mismanagement" of the examination system, dashing the hopes and aspirations of lakhs of youth.
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi told the meeting that he was 100 per cent sure that elections are &ldquo;robbed&rdquo; in the country.
The ex-Congress chief also stressed unity, and said one must bring everyone together with love and affection.
The issue of aligning with the youth-led political movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) also cropped up during the discussions, with Akhilesh Yadav and Omar Abdullah calling for associating with the outfit, and Mamata Banerjee speaking about supporting civil society movements.
Akhilesh Yadav, who spoke about "vote chori" and said the Bengal polls were "robbed", appealed to the Congress to show a big heart and back the strongest regional parties.
Uddhav Thackeray also lauded Banerjee for having fought the polls like a "lioness".
RJD&rsquo; Tejashwi Yadav said the bloc's strategy must focus on the 2029 Lok Sabha polls and urged everyone to hit the streets.
Omar Abdullah urged all the opposition parties to look ahead at the 2029 general elections, stressing that the Congress is the glue that holds the INDIA bloc together.
The last official meeting of the INDIA bloc was held in Delhi on June 1, 2024, after the Lok Sabha polls. The bloc originally comprised more than 25 parties.

Chirag Paswan urged the Election Commission to address concerns over SIR and maintain public trust, as BJP leaders rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations.

Chirag Paswan Says ECI Must Address Concerns, Maintain Public Trust Amid SIR Row

Chirag Paswan urged the Election Commission to address concerns over SIR and maintain public trust, as BJP leaders rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday said the Election Commission must firmly present its position on questions being raised over the electoral process, stressing that public trust in elections should be maintained amid the ongoing political row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Paswan said the Election Commission, particularly the CEC, had a responsibility to address concerns raised by the Opposition.
"If such questions are being raised against the Election Commission, I believe it is also the responsibility of the Election Commission, especially the CEC, to firmly present its side. I don't care what the opposition says because it is their job to do politics," Paswan told reporters.
"The Election Commission must maintain the trust of the people because if doubts arise in the public's mind about the electoral process itself, that would be wrong. In such a situation, the Election Commission should firmly put forth its points so that no doubts arise in the people's minds," he added.
BJP Leaders Reject Rahul Gandhi's Allegations
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, speaking in Amritsar, criticised Gandhi's allegations and questioned how the Congress could have won in Keralam if the Election Commission was allegedly not functioning properly.
"Rahul Gandhi has uttered all wrong facts. If the Election Commission is not right, then how did you win in Keralam? Rahul Gandhi is making completely false allegations," Meghwal told ANI.
BJP MP Ashok Bajpai also reacted to Gandhi's remarks, saying, "Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly rejected by people in elections. Congress has lost its ground."
Meanwhile, Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat, responding to reports that Opposition parties were planning to move an impeachment motion notice against the CEC, said the party believed in the Constitution and would continue its protests over what it alleges is "vote theft".
"We certainly believe in the Constitution and its provisions. As I have repeatedly stated, they have consistently engaged in vote theft, acts committed under the protection of the government, under PM Modi's patronage. So, regarding the defeat, we are protesting today and again on Monday; we are continuously fulfilling our responsibility to stand by the sentiments of the people," he told ANI.
Rahul Gandhi Demands CEC's Resignation
The remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi alleged that elections in India, including the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and several state Assembly elections, had been "rigged" and demanded Kumar's resignation.
Gandhi also alleged irregularities in the electoral process and called for the CEC to "turn Approver".
The controversy erupted after The Express reported on Thursday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR process.
The Election Commission, however, rejected the assertion that the objections recorded by the two Election Commissioners represented institutional dissent over final decisions.
The poll panel said operational queries, internal feedback and administrative suggestions during the drafting stage were standard practice.
The ECI maintained that all final decisions taken by the three-member Commission, including those concerning SIR, were unanimous.
Congress Protests, CWC Meeting on September 29
The controversy over SIR and the Election Commission's internal functioning is expected to come up at the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for September 29 in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Congress workers staged nationwide protests on Friday demanding the resignation and removal of Kumar.
Demonstrations were reported in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Manipur, among other places.
Election Commission Explains ECINet Platform
The Election Commission has said that ECINet is a secure, decentralised digital platform operationalised under the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951.
It said statutory duties on ECINet are carried out by designated election officials, including Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), District Election Officers (DEOs) and Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), using unique IDs and secure credentials.
The poll body began the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls last year as a clean-up exercise, under which electors submitted forms and documents through ECINet for processing by election officials.

Politics

Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala alleged Election Commission misconduct in Maharashtra's 2024 polls, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation amid the SIR controversy.

Keralam Minister Chennithala Calls 2024 Maharashtra Polls 'Fraud', Says SIR In Keralam Was 'Alright'

Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala alleged Election Commission misconduct in Maharashtra's 2024 polls, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation amid the SIR controversy.

Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Friday alleged that the Congress and its allies lost the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections due to the Election Commission's "indulgence", calling it a "fraud on election" and demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
Chennithala, who was in charge of the Maharashtra elections, claimed that objections raised by two Election Commissioners over electoral procedures were not considered by the CEC.
"I was in charge of Maharashtra. The Maharashtra assembly election was defeated by the Congress and allies because of indulgence by the Election Commission. It was a fraud on election. The two election commissioners raised objections 14 times, but the Chief Election Commissioner did not take the issue into account. The Election Commission lost its credibility. It is high time for Gyanesh Kumar to resign from the Chief Election Commissioner's position," Chennithala told reporters.
Congress Protests Across States, Demands CEC's Resignation
Chennithala's remarks came as Congress units staged protests across several states, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur, demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
The protests follow a political row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, triggered by an Indian Express report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding electoral-roll procedures, decisions and database access.
The Election Commission has rejected the characterisation of the objections as institutional dissent, stating that operational queries, internal feedback and administrative suggestions are part of the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body. The ECI has maintained that all final decisions concerning SIR were taken unanimously.
BJP's CR Kesavan Questions Chennithala's Stand On SIR
BJP leader CR Kesavan hit back at the Congress, citing Chennithala's earlier remarks on the SIR process following the Keralam Assembly election results announced on May 4, 2026.
Kesavan said Rahul Gandhi's allegation that "wherever there is SIR there is vote theft" was contradicted by Chennithala's appreciation of the exercise.
"Rahul Gandhi ridiculously claims that wherever there is SIR there is vote theft. On May 4, 2026, when the Kerala Assembly election results were announced, the current Congress Home Minister of Kerala, Mr. Ramesh Chennithala, lauded and appreciated how the SIR process had helped the Congress win by removing bogus votes from the electoral rolls," Kesavan said in a post on X.
Responding to the BJP leader's claim, Chennithala said the situation in Keralam was different because political parties had remained vigilant at the grassroots level.
"In Kerala, it was alright because we were very vigilant up to the lower level, and Kerala is an exception because this kind of fraud will not happen because all political parties are all very vigilant here," he said.
Uddhav Thackeray Also Targets Gyanesh Kumar Over Maharashtra Polls
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had also demanded Gyanesh Kumar's removal, alleging that the Election Commission had acted against his party during the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
"For the past several days, there has been a demand to remove the Election Commission's Gyanesh Kumar. The real face of Gyanesh Kumar has come before the country," Thackeray said.
He alleged that the poll body had transferred his party's name and election symbol to rival leaders.
"The Election Commission gave the Shiv Sena symbol and name to the traitors. Around 40 lakh voters' names were added to the list before the elections and removed after the elections," he alleged.
Thackeray further accused the authorities of acting out of a "hunger for power" and called for elections in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Karnataka to be conducted through ballot papers again.
Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 Results
The 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections saw the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secure 235 seats in a decisive victory.
The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 57 seats and the Nationalist Congress Party secured 41 seats.

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of electoral manipulation, citing reports of objections by two Election Commissioners over SIR procedures.

'Indian Elections, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha Polls Are Being Rigged': RaGa Targets ECI Amid SIR Row

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of electoral manipulation, citing reports of objections by two Election Commissioners over SIR procedures.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the ruling BJP of compromising India's electoral framework, alleging that elections across the country were being rigged.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Gandhi referred to an investigative report by The Indian Express, which revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding procedures, database changes and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Gandhi questioned the reported absence of anti-incumbency against the BJP, contrasting its electoral performance with the historical pattern of governments and political parties losing public support.
Rahul Gandhi Targets CEC Gyanesh Kumar Over Election Irregularities
Referring to the reported objections raised by the two Election Commissioners, Gandhi questioned the role of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and alleged that the concerns he had raised earlier were ignored.
"Indian elections, Lok Sabha Elections, 2024 elections, Vidhan Sabha Elections are all being rigged. The people on top of that list are who we call the conspirators. By the way, Mr Gyanesh Kumar, who is sitting there two election commissioners, two election commissioners are raising questions about that man. I have been raising questions; those questions were ignored. People of India believed it. But the institutional framework of India was not interested. But now, two election commissioners, by the way, chosen by the leadership. Gyanesh Kumar was chosen by the Prime Minister of India, not by anybody less. He was chosen by Amit Shah. And now two election commissioners are saying that Mr Gyanesh Kumar is responsible for the chaos, for the damage that has taken place to our voting system," he said.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Disappearance Of Anti-Incumbency
Gandhi also questioned how anti-incumbency, which he said had historically influenced election results across states, appeared to have disappeared in favour of the BJP.
"Haryana swings from one party to another for 50 years. Suddenly anti-incumbency disappears. Maharashtra swings; suddenly it disappears. Uttar Pradesh swings. Sometimes Samajwadi, sometimes BSP; it disappears. Madhya Pradesh, it disappears. Gujarat, it disappears. This has been a fundamental question for us. We can understand the popularity of a person, and the performance of a government, but we cannot understand how anti-incumbency disappears. Anti-incumbency does not exist in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. It does not exist in North Korea. There is no democracy on this planet where anti-incumbency does not exist..." he said.
Drawing on his political background, Gandhi said anti-incumbency had affected governments and leaders across the country, including Congress and regional parties, but questioned why the same trend did not appear to affect Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP.
"I come from a political family, and I have spent more than 50 years in a political family... In India, there is a fundamental force called anti-incumbency that very quickly starts to resist any government. It does not spare anybody. Indira Gandhi won the Bangladesh war, was at the height of her popularity, and then suddenly, within a year or two, massive anti-incumbency, massive pressure. The same exact thing happens to leader after leader after leader. Happens to Congress leaders; it happens to regional parties, but for some reason, it never happens to Mr Narendra Modi, does not happen to Mr Shah, does not happen to the BJP," he added.
'Vote Chori' Leads To 'Kanoon Chori': Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi alleged that electoral manipulation would undermine the legitimacy of Parliament and the laws passed by it, arguing that the electoral process forms the basis of India's legal and institutional framework.
"I want to emphasise that from vote chori comes kanoon chori because if the vote is stolen, the legal structure is gone. And from kanoon chori comes sanstha chori institutions. And this is the chain that has taken place. Today the vote is gone; the law-making system is gone. Meaning, if the vote has been stolen and the MPs sitting in parliament are there based on a stolen vote then any law they are making is illegal. Please let me repeat this if the votes are stolen and the MPs who have entered parliament have done so on a stolen vote, then any law that they have made is illegal. And any institutional change they make is also illegal," said Rahul Gandhi.
Explaining the relationship between electoral mandates, the Constitution, laws and institutions, Gandhi said that alleged damage to the electoral process would have consequences for the entire system.
"From the vote, which is supposed to be protected by the Election Commission, our Constitution gets its power. From the Constitution, our laws are made, and from our laws emerge our institutions. This is a chain... If the vote has been destroyed, then our constitution has been destroyed... If our constitution has been destroyed, our laws are illegal. If our laws are illegal, our institutions are meaningless," he said.
Gandhi further described the alleged irregularities as an attack on the democratic rights of citizens.
"The central question here is this is not just an attack on the vote; this is an attack on the idea, the basic infrastructure, and the expression of every single Indian person. We have been saying it again and again and again that there is a problem with the vote," he added.
Indian Express Report Flags Election Commissioners' Objections
The remarks come after an investigation by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had repeatedly objected to procedural changes allegedly implemented without the full Commission's approval.
The reported objections concerned the centralisation of the ERONET electoral roll database, changes to new voter registration forms (Form 6) and decisions on voter deletions during the SIR exercise.
According to the report, Sandhu and Joshi recorded 14 formal written dissents over 10 months regarding decision-making under CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Rahul Gandhi Calls Vote Chori 'Treason'
Reacting to the report, Gandhi described the alleged electoral irregularities as "Vote Chori" and "treason". He also announced that the issue would be taken up at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled for September 29.
Gandhi has repeatedly accused the Election Commission of electoral manipulation over the SIR process, alleging vote chori since the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
On Wednesday, responding to the Indian Express report, he posted on X: "Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served."
The Election Commission, meanwhile, said internal technical notes and written queries were standard procedure in a multi-member body. It maintained that all final decisions concerning the SIR process were taken unanimously and had full legal sanction.

Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera have alleged that the Election Commission's ECINet software failed to restore 97 valid voters in Goa despite repeated requests. The BJP has rejected the allegations.

'Goa CEO Wrote to ECI 8 Times in 7 Days': Jairam Ramesh Slams EC Over Voter Deletion Claims

Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera have alleged that the Election Commission's ECINet software failed to restore 97 valid voters in Goa despite repeated requests. The BJP has rejected the allegations.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday cited a fresh media report alleging that the Election Commission of India (ECI) failed to restore valid voters deleted by its ECINet software, despite repeated requests from Goa's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
In a post on X, Ramesh said the Goa CEO had written to the ECI eight times in seven days, seeking the inclusion of voters deleted by the software. He added that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in Goa had verified the voters as valid, but their emails went unanswered.
"After the sensational revelations in a leading national daily yesterday on the shocking manner in which the CEC has completely destroyed the integrity, credibility and competence of the Election Commission, there is another report this morning," Ramesh said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
After the sensational revelations in a leading national daily yesterday on the shocking manner in which the CEC has completely destroyed the integrity, credibility and competence of the Election Commission, there is another report this morning: &bull;⁠ ⁠The Goa CEO wrote to the&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/IC3wxHGKe1">pic.twitter.com/IC3wxHGKe1</a>
&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2102991091528290393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He further alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been handed over to the ECINet software, resulting in the deletion or flagging of 54 per cent of voters in Delhi and nearly 12 crore voters across states during the third phase of the exercise.
Citing the media report, the Congress leader claimed that EROs' access to the ECINet software had been restricted, despite their statutory authority over electoral rolls under The Representation of the People Act, 1950.
"According to The Representation of the People Act, 1950, the ERO has statutory authority over the electoral roll. The 2 ECs wrote to the Cabinet Secretary flagging this violation," he said.
Ramesh also alleged that the process of adding new voters through Form 6 had been made more difficult, claiming that Gen Z was being targeted for exclusion.
The Congress general secretary said the latest reports supported allegations made by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the past two years, following the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly election results.
"Each new piece of evidence further confirms what the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has been saying for almost two years ever since the Haryana and Maharashtra assembly election results were out. The election process has been thoroughly compromised and vitiated," he said.
Demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, Ramesh alleged that the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister would also be held accountable.
"This is Gyanesh Kumar implementing the Method of Disenfranchising Indians (MODI). As a first step, the CEC Gyanesh Kumar must resign immediately if he has any shred of decency and morality left in him. The PM and the HM will thereafter be held accountable for their diabolical designs," he said.
Pawan Khera alleges 97 voters remain deleted in Goa
Congress leader Pawan Khera also raised concerns over the alleged deletion of 97 voters in Goa, stating that the state's Deputy Election Commissioner had approached Director General (IT) Seema Khanna but received no response.
In a post on X, Khera said the ground-level Electoral Registration Officers had decided that the 97 voters should be restored to the electoral rolls. However, he alleged that the ECI's IT division in Delhi had restricted their access to reverse the deletions.
"No response came. No correction was made. The 97 voters remain off the rolls," Khera said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The State of Exception in India. 🚫Goa&rsquo;s ground-level Electoral Registration Officers decided that 97 voters should be restored to the rolls. 🚫But the software controlled by the Election Commission of India&rsquo;s IT division in Delhi did not give them access to reverse the&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/YNpG2kXoYC">https://t.co/YNpG2kXoYC</a>
&mdash; Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 ಪವನ್ ಖೇರಾ (@Pawankhera) <a href="https://x.com/Pawankhera/status/2102985103211159673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He argued that the decentralisation of electoral registration was intended to prevent any single office from exercising unilateral control over additions and deletions in electoral rolls.
"The entire architecture of electoral registration was designed to prevent precisely this. Authority over additions and deletions was entrusted to Electoral Registration Officers on the ground precisely so that no single office could sit atop the rolls and unilaterally determine who counts. That decentralisation was not an administrative convenience. It was the constitutional safeguard. Today, that safeguard stands effectively annihilated by centralised technological control," he said.
Shashi Tharoor seeks apology from Election Commission
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also expressed concern over the alleged irregularities, stating that the issue involved the deprivation of citizens' constitutional rights and access to essential medical benefits.
Tharoor demanded an apology from the Election Commission and called for the removal of the software and reversal of the alleged harm caused by it.
"This is extremely serious and involves depriving Indian citizens of their constitutional rights, as well as withholding essential humanitarian benefits, from dialysis treatments to transplants. Political chicanery is bad enough, but inhumane conduct is unconscionable. @ECISVEEP owes an apology to the affected citizens and indeed to the nation. Resignation is a minimal demand; rescinding this disastrous software and undoing the harm it has caused is now indispensable," he said.
BJP rejects allegations, calls reports a smear campaign
Meanwhile, Jharkhand BJP Chief Spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo rejected the allegations, accusing opposition parties of running a coordinated campaign to discredit constitutional institutions.
Speaking to ANI, Shah Deo termed the reports a "nationwide smear campaign" and alleged that opposition leaders were attempting to undermine the Election Commission following repeated electoral defeats.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Ranchi | Jharkhand BJP Chief Spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo says, "We believe a nationwide smear campaign is underway, orchestrated by the Opposition through the planting of news stories. The fact that posts appear on 'X' from various leaders within just ten minutes of a&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/QyBJpOx5Zb">pic.twitter.com/QyBJpOx5Zb</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2102995430548312528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"We believe a nationwide smear campaign is underway, orchestrated by the Opposition through the planting of news stories. The fact that posts appear on 'X' from various leaders within just ten minutes of a story being planted suggests that something is clearly being cooked up. The Election Commission conducted elections very efficiently across 12 states; the process went smoothly. If two Election Commissioners were vehemently opposed, any action taken wouldn't have yielded the desired benefit. I feel that those who are repeatedly losing elections are the ones trying to cast aspersions on the Election Commission," he said.
Shah Deo also accused the Congress of politicising the Election Commission, citing former Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill's appointment as a Union Minister in the Congress-led UPA government after leaving the poll body.
"The politicisation of the Election Commission actually occurred back when M.S. Gill stepped down as Chief Election Commissioner; he subsequently served as a Union Minister in the Congress-led UPA government for ten years," he said.
The remarks followed a fresh report by The Indian Express stating that Goa's Chief Electoral Officer had written to authorities in Delhi eight times over seven days seeking access to restore deleted voters, but received no response.
The report came after an earlier media report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and orders related to the SIR process.

Opposition parties are preparing to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament amid allegations over the Election Commission's functioning and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Opposition To Move Impeachment Motion Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Opposition parties are preparing to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament amid allegations over the Election Commission's functioning and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Opposition parties are preparing to move an impeachment motion notice against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in both Houses of Parliament, with the Congress initiating discussions with other opposition parties, sources said on Thursday. According to Congress sources, the notice is likely to be submitted within the next two weeks.
The move comes amid renewed allegations and political exchanges over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), following media reports concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Indian Express published a fresh report stating that the Goa Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had written to authorities in Delhi eight times within seven days, seeking access to certain facilities, but received no response.
The report came after an earlier media report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and orders related to the SIR process.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday filed a formal complaint against CEC Gyanesh Kumar at Parliament Street Police Station, alleging procedural violations, unilateral decision-making and manipulation of electoral rolls.
Speaking to ANI after filing the complaint, Moitra questioned the legal immunity granted to the Chief Election Commissioner under the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
She argued that the protection against prosecution applies only when the Election Commission functions collectively as a multi-member body.
"I have come today to the Parliament Street Police Station and given a complaint to the police station here against 'Chor' Gyanesh Kumar, who is the Chief Election Commissioner of this country. And apparently he enjoys immunity under the CEC and EC Act of 2023, Section 16, which says that the Election Commissioners enjoy immunity from civil and criminal prosecution in the discharge of their duties. I'd like to point out that if acting as a concerted body, they may enjoy immunity," Moitra told ANI.
Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also criticised the recent decisions of the poll body, alleging that the country's democratic foundations were facing a serious setback.
Speaking to ANI, Tiwari questioned why BJP leaders were responding to allegations against the Chief Election Commissioner instead of the Election Commission itself.
"It reminds me of an old proverb, 'Begani Shaadi Mein Abdulla Diwana' (an unnecessary intermeddler). The reply should have been given by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) or the Election Commission regarding the allegations, but Sambit Patra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is giving the response. This clearly shows that there is guilt on their part," he said.
Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Thursday accused the Election Commission of India of being &ldquo;hijacked&rdquo; and demanded an immediate suspension of the SIR exercise, along with the removal and criminal investigation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Addressing reporters, Surjewala alleged that the SIR exercise had led to the deletion of 13 crore voters across 19 states. He further claimed that Karnataka alone had witnessed 1.08 crore voter deletions, while another 43 lakh notices had been issued.
The figures were cited by Surjewala as part of the Congress's allegations. The Election Commission, however, has disputed the broader characterisation of its functioning and maintained that its decisions were taken unanimously.
&ldquo;We are here with an extremely important issue that affects our polity, our nation, our state of Karnataka, and our people. Democracy is founded upon the right to vote of every individual,&rdquo; Surjewala said.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following a report alleging repeated objections by two Election Commissioners over decisions linked to the SIR process.

Mamata Banerjee Attacks ECI Over SIR Report, Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Arrest

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following a report alleging repeated objections by two Election Commissioners over decisions linked to the SIR process.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging institutional manipulation and asserting that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has "no moral authority to continue" and should be arrested.
Her remarks came after an Indian Express report claimed that two of the three Election Commissioners had objected to decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
According to the report, "Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions taken and orders issued without their knowledge."
Reacting to the report, Banerjee alleged that partisan officials aligned with the BJP had been deployed across the election machinery and described the developments as an unprecedented scandal.
"This is such a scandalous story. We had never seen this in our lives. This Election Commissioner must be arrested. He has no moral authority to continue, and the BJP must see that they cannot destroy our Constitution. They cannot demolish democracy", Banerjee said while addressing a press conference.
She further alleged that officials connected to the BJP had been placed in key positions across the electoral system.
"They cannot depute their own EROs in the name of the BJP IT team. What we had said earlier has now been completely exposed. Gyanesh Kumar has misused the police and, in coordination with the BJP, they have deputed their own BJP-minded people across the system. Such a scandal has never happened before," she remarked.
Mounting her criticism of the CEC, Banerjee said Kumar should step down and face legal accountability.
"If you have any honour left, you yourself would ask to be arrested. You should be arrested," she said.
ECI Defends SIR Decision-Making Process
Responding to the Indian Express report, the Election Commission said that all orders issued by the body carry full legal sanction and that queries or suggestions raised by members during the drafting stage were part of standard institutional practice.
&ldquo;The ECI is a constitutional body that functions under the strict mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, statutory rules and established institutional conventions. The Commission operates as a multi-member constitutional body. Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks-and-balances are standard, ongoing practices designed to ensure complete transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour. All actions of ECI have been in accordance of laws and instructions of the Commission. All official orders, decisions and administrative directions issued by the Commission carry full legal sanctions and follow established statutory procedures... Any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights. The suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes," it said.
The Commission also maintained that differing views and observations among members were a normal part of institutional deliberations and the decision-making process.

Opposition leaders intensified criticism of the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar after an Indian Express report claimed two Election Commissioners had raised objections multiple times over decisions related to the SIR process.

Opposition Intensifies Attack On Election Commission Over SIR Report; Demands Action Against CEC

Opposition leaders intensified criticism of the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar after an Indian Express report claimed two Election Commissioners had raised objections multiple times over decisions related to the SIR process.

Opposition leaders on Wednesday stepped up their criticism of the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following an Indian Express report that claimed two of the three Election Commissioners had raised objections multiple times over decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and electoral roll procedures.
According to the report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over a period of 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR process.
The Election Commission, however, sought to play down the report, with its sources stating that all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including those concerning SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.
The report triggered a fresh political confrontation, with several Opposition leaders questioning the functioning of the poll body and demanding accountability from the CEC.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi described "vote chori" as a "crime against the Indian people" and an attack on the Constitution.
In a post shared on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served."
In a video shared by him, Gandhi addressed the Election Commission and election officials, saying, "I am clearly telling the Election Commission and election officers: What you are doing is wrong. This is treason, it is against the nation. Do not forget this. The time will come! We will catch you! You will not be spared."
Priyanka Gandhi Calls It 'Act Of Treason'
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also reacted to the report, saying that any irregularities allowed during elections would have serious implications for democracy.
"This is an extremely serious issue for our democracy. If there are no elections, then where is democracy? If elections are unfair and rigged in any manner, then the Election Commission is assisting in that. If the Election Commissioner is not only aware of it but also allowing it to happen, then it is a very serious assault on democracy. It is an act of treason," she said.
Her remarks came after the report claimed that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and orders linked to the SIR process.
Kharge Questions CEC Over Objections
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the report had brought questions surrounding the functioning of the Election Commission into sharper focus.
Kharge said, "For several years now, the Congress Party and many opposition parties have been raising questions about the fairness of elections in the country. We continuously found the role of the Election Commission suspicious. When we raised questions, they were dismissed as a joke. The doors of the Commission were shut."
"Today, the same issue has come to light from within the Election Commission itself. Two out of three Election Commissioners objected in writing 14 times. Misuse of Form 6, misuse of software, tampering with voter lists, decisions without transparency&mdash;these are all now in front of the country. Then what did CEC Gyanesh Kumar do about these objections?" he asked.
Kharge also alleged that 13.8 crore names had been removed from draft electoral rolls during the first three phases of SIR in 31 states and Union Territories.
"The Vote Chori and SIR that Shri Rahul Gandhi has continuously exposed before the country are now proving to be correct questions. This is tampering with democracy," Kharge said.
He also referred to an earlier notice moved by Opposition MPs seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
"On 24 April 2026, 73 opposition Rajya Sabha MPs had submitted a new Notice of Motion to the Secretary General to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Monsoon Session of Parliament has not yet been prorogued. Will the Hon'ble Rajya Sabha Chairman now decide on that pending Notice?" Kharge asked.
"Today, the question is not just about Vote Chori. The question is about the government's takeover of India's democracy and its institutions. It is about their independence and impartiality," he added.
Congress Leaders Raise Questions Over Decision-Making
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also questioned the functioning of the Election Commission and alleged that the CEC was not keeping the other Election Commissioners informed about decisions.
"You see today's Indian Express news. Two Election Commissioners of this country&mdash;the report is very clear that two Election Commissioners of the country, they are not even informed of anything by the Chief Election Commissioner," Venugopal told ANI.
"For the last so many years, we have been raising this issue&mdash;the basic issue of democracy in this country. The Chief Election Commissioner is acting as an agent of the Prime Minister and the BJP. He is completely trying to cut the vote," he alleged.
Congress MP Manish Tiwari questioned how the SIR process continued if the two Election Commissioners had repeatedly objected to decisions concerning it.
"If the two Election Commissioners were repeatedly objecting to each and every decision which was being taken with regard to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and the revision still continued to go on, this means that there is an invisible hand beyond the Election Commission which seems to be running the commission," Tiwari told ANI.
He said the Election Commission's rules of business require decisions to be taken either unanimously or by majority vote.
"The rules of business of the Election Commission are very clear that all decisions have to be taken either by unanimity or by a majority vote. If two of the Election Commissioners were objecting to these decisions, then obviously it goes to show that the decisions which have been taken... are per se arbitrary, capricious, and therefore illegal," he said.
Tiwari further said the developments could constitute grounds for seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.
"This perhaps constitutes a fit case for impeachment, for the credibility of the Election Commission as a neutral arbiter of the electoral processes," he said.
Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi also alleged that the report raised questions about the functioning of the poll body.
"BJP has set up an office dedicated to the murder of democracy. On one side, they have positioned the CEC, and on the other, the Ministry of Home Affairs. "The revelations made today indicate that the CEC did not merely mislead the nation or undermine its constitutional values... but also misled his own colleagues."
Opposition Demands Action Against CEC
The criticism was not limited to Congress. Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee demanded the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and called for a court-monitored investigation into the issue.
Several other Opposition leaders, including RJD MP Manoj Jha, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC leader Derek O&rsquo;Brien, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj and CPI(M) MP John Brittas, also raised concerns over the report.
Opposition parties had previously moved motions seeking the removal of Gyanesh Kumar. In April 2026, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that 73 Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs had submitted a fresh notice seeking the CEC's removal on grounds of "proven misbehaviour".
Earlier, a similar notice was submitted in the Lok Sabha and was rejected by Speaker Om Birla after consideration, according to a Lok Sabha bulletin. The Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan also rejected the motion.
The latest controversy has therefore revived earlier Opposition concerns over the Election Commission, while the poll body has maintained that decisions related to SIR were taken unanimously by the full Commission.

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