New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday hit out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over a plea seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe against him, saying the CEC should resign and alleging that "voices are rising from within the Election Commission".
Reacting to the Supreme Court plea seeking action against the CEC amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row, Khera said Gyanesh Kumar's resignation would be in his own interest.
"He should resign himself. His safety, his interests, the safety of his future lies in that itself. When I say safety, I mean the safety of his future, because if he becomes an approver then he will be safe. Otherwise, his coming time will be spent in jail," Khera told reporters.
The remarks came after a plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking prosecution of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged unilateral decision-making in the Election Commission of India (ECI), including changes to Form 6, "centralisation of electoral-roll data through ECINet" and actions allegedly resulting in exclusion of eligible voters.
The plea also names Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg, DG-IT Seema Khanna and other officials, alleging breaches of official duty.
The petitioner referred to The Indian Express report published on September 23, which said that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded written dissents and objections at least 14 times between November 2025 and August 2026 over decisions linked to electoral rolls and database access.
The plea alleged that Form 6 was changed on the ECINet portal to make disclosure of "last SIR" details mandatory for first-time voters and claimed that the move was made without a formal amendment to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. It also sought restoration of decentralised access to electoral roll systems and a judicial inquiry or SIT headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
On West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya's remarks backing the CEC amid criticism from Opposition parties and saying that Gyanesh Kumar deserved "at the very least, the Padma Bhushan" for conducting peaceful elections and purifying electoral rolls in West Bengal, Khera took a swipe at the BJP leader.
"Padma Bhushan is a very small thing. Make him the Prime Minister. Brother, the man who can make others Prime Minister, make him the Prime Minister. Why do you give such a small thing, brother? Gyanesh Babu, Gyanesh Gupta ji should be made the Prime Minister," Khera said.
On Union Minister Chirag Paswan's remarks that the Election Commission should firmly present its position amid questions being raised over the electoral process, Khera said concerns were emerging from within the system.
"Voices are coming from within the Election Commission. Voices are rising from within the government. If Modi ji and Shah are not able to hear it now, it's not our fault. They should get their ears checked," he said.
On some parties in the NDA alliance saying that the BJP should answer, Khera said, "A lot of people will speak now. Voices will also rise from within the BJP. Wait."
Following the media report, opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Left parties, have stepped up attacks on 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 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. The party said APCC president and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and several other leaders and workers were detained during the protest.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had also accused the government of unleashing a "brutal crackdown" on protests, alleging that Congress leaders, workers, young citizens, students and social activists were detained across the country.
The BJP has rejected the Opposition's allegations, calling them attempts to divert attention from electoral defeats.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has maintained that internal technical notes, written queries and suggestions are part of the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body. The ECI has asserted that all final decisions related to the SIR exercise were taken unanimously and carried the approval of all three commissioners.
The issue is expected to come up during the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for September 29 in New Delhi. (ANI)
"Voices are rising from within EC": Pawan Khera says CEC "safety lies in resigning" amid SIT row
