SIR row: Congress holds protest across Maharashtra seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s removal
The Congress party staged protests across Maharashtra, demanding the removal and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar due to alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This agitation follows an Indian Express investigation revealing internal objections from other Election Commissioners regarding decisions made without their knowledge or approval.
Why it matters
This controversy raises significant concerns about the transparency and integrity of India's electoral process, potentially undermining public trust in the Election Commission and impacting the fairness of future elections.
The Congress on Monday (September 28, 2026) stepped up its agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, holding protest marches across Maharashtra and demanding his removal and arrest over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
According to the Maharashtra Congress, demonstrations were held outside district collectorates across the State, including in Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Kolhapur, Solapur, Thane, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Party leaders and workers submitted memoranda to district collectors seeking Mr. Kumar’s removal from office and action against him.
The protests come amid intensified Opposition criticism of the Election Commission following an Indian Express investigation which reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders concerning electoral rolls that they said were taken without their knowledge or approval.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in