New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of making changes to the voter registration process that allegedly created hurdles for first-time voters, and demanded accountability from Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the issue.
Reacting to the Election Commission's move to organise special enrolment camps for young voters, Ramesh alleged that the poll body had earlier made it difficult for new voters to register by introducing changes in Form 6, calling the move "blatantly illegal and unconstitutional".
"Late night yesterday, a panicked Election Commission directed officers to organise special enrolment camps for young voters and give them 'wide publicity' through social media. But the CEC himself had earlier made it virtually impossible to add young voters through a blatantly illegal and unconstitutional change to Form 6," Ramesh said in a post on X.
He alleged that a new mandatory section was added to Form 6 seeking details about whether the applicant's parents or grandparents were part of the previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR), creating a barrier for first-time Gen Z voters.
"The change is completely illegal. · Violation 1: In early July 2026 the online form was stealthily changed with no official notification. · Violation 2: ECI does not have the power to amend Form 6. This power is only held by the Union Government as per The Representation Of The People Act, 1950. This is clear a huge overreach by the Election Commission. · Violation 3: The form was changed without any amendment to the Rules that govern it under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. That can only be done by the Union Govt with proper intimation to Parliament. A statutory form, defined by the law, was unilaterally changed by the CEC Gyanesh at the instance of the rattled PM-HM duo," Ramesh said.
Referring to The Indian Express report, he further alleged that "two ECs had called for this “illegal and unauthorised” change to be reversed “so young and first-time voters can register without any harassment”."
"The CEC has broken not just Constitutional conventions and practices but has also knowingly broken the law as passed by Parliament. His continuation in office is an affront to the people of India," Ramesh further said.
"A confirmed law-breaker in charge of implementing laws—what has Indian democracy degenerated to. The Supreme Court must immediately take suo moto cognizance and hold him accountable. As the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has said Gyanesh Kumar can still redeem himself by resigning and turning approver. The Youth of India especially will approve of such a move," he added.
Late night yesterday, a panicked Election Commission directed officers to organise special enrolment camps for young voters and give them “wide publicity” through social media.
But the CEC himself had earlier made it virtually impossible to add young voters through a blatantly…
The Congress leader's remarks came amid a political row over the SIR exercise of electoral rolls following an Indian Express report saying 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 Opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Left parties, have intensified their criticism of the Election Commission, alleging concerns over electoral transparency and demanding accountability.
Congress workers staged demonstrations across several states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur, against the functioning of the Election Commission and its handling of the SIR exercise.
In Assam, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) held a protest rally from Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati demanding the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and an impartial review of decisions taken and alterations made to electoral rolls during his tenure.
The party said that APCC president and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, along with several other leaders and workers, were detained by police during the protest.
Earlier on Friday, Ramesh had also accused the government of unleashing a "brutal crackdown" on protests against the CEC, alleging that Congress leaders, workers, young citizens, students and social activists were detained across the country.
"Today, citizens and Congress workers took to the streets to demand accountability for the subversion of their constitutional right to vote and the unscrupulous actions of the Chief Election Commissioner," Ramesh had posted on X.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also alleged that the issue involved evidence and should not be dismissed as a political allegation. "There are facts, there is evidence. It is there for the whole country to see. My brother has shown it in many different press conferences. He has put the evidence forward. Now it is very clear, 13 crore voters have been deleted," she said.
Meanwhile, the BJP has rejected the Opposition's allegations, calling them attempts to divert attention from electoral defeats. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal questioned the charges, saying that if the Election Commission was biased, the Opposition would not have won elections in states like Keralam.
Union Minister and key NDA ally Chirag Paswan said the Election Commission should firmly present its position on the allegations to maintain public trust in the electoral process.
"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," Paswan said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has maintained that internal technical notes and written queries are part of the normal functioning of a multi-member body and asserted that all final decisions related to the SIR process were taken unanimously with legal sanction.
The ECI maintained that all final decisions taken by the Commission, including those related to the SIR exercise, were unanimous and carried the approval of all three commissioners.
The controversy over SIR and the Election Commission's internal functioning is expected to be taken up at the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for September 29 in New Delhi. (ANI)
