Election Commission dissent sparks Opposition call for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal
Opposition parties are calling for the impeachment of India's Chief Election Commissioner following reports that two other commissioners raised objections regarding unauthorized and illegal decision-making. The Election Commission of India has denied these claims, asserting that all decisions were made unanimously.
Why it matters
The integrity of the Election Commission is fundamental to Indian democracy, and allegations of internal dissent or procedural irregularities threaten public trust in the electoral process.
Opposition parties on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) said Parliament should immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar after an Indian Express expose claimed that two of the three Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, formally recorded objections at least 14 times over ten months, saying major decisions were being made in the name of the full Election Commission without their knowledge — several of which they called “unauthorised and illegal.”
The parties also asked the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the report.
ECI Sources responded by saying that “all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including SIR , have been unanimous and with the approval of both the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner”
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