A group of former civil servants and rights activists has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, issuing a “people’s impeachment” notice accusing him of undermining the Election Commission’s functioning and overseeing a flawed Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The delegation, which included former Union home secretary GK Pillai, former Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung and activist Yogendra Yadav, was stopped from reaching the Election Commission headquarters to submit the four-page notice.
Delegation Stopped
Activist Anjali Bhardwaj said roads leading to the poll panel’s office had been barricaded despite authorities being aware that the delegation would arrive. She termed the restrictions a violation of law and the Constitution.
Jung said the former officials were speaking out because they believed the Constitution was being undermined.
“We are not against the government,” he said, while arguing that Kumar’s conduct and the scale of alleged disenfranchisement during the SIR were unacceptable.
“Even one citizen cannot be deprived of the right to vote,” Jung said, calling for those responsible for the exercise to step down.
Pillai questioned what he described as a reversal of the traditional burden of proving citizenship and voter eligibility. Recalling his years as an administrator and home secretary, he said he had never expected to be asked to establish his citizenship.
“You are asking 99.9 per cent Indians to prove for potential 0.1 per cent illegals,” he said, alleging that citizens were being subjected to unnecessary hardship.
Also Read: ‘We Did Not Approve Modified Form 6’: CJI Surya Kant’s Key Remark Amid CEC Gyanesh Kumar Row
Six Charges
The notice accuses Kumar of weakening the EC’s collective functioning, approving changes to statutory Form 6, centralising electoral-roll administration through ECINET, causing mass disenfranchisement through the SIR, compromising political impartiality and repeatedly failing to discharge statutory duties.
It alleges that key decisions, including those related to the SIR, were taken without adequate consultation or recorded proceedings within the EC. It also cites reports that the other two election commissioners had objected to decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge.
On Form 6, the notice questions the use of an altered version despite internal objections over its legality. It also challenges a requirement for previously enrolled voters who were wrongly excluded to declare that they were seeking inclusion for the first time.
The group further alleged that ECINET had weakened the statutory role of electoral registration officers and criticised the SIR for being implemented without sufficient preparation, training or mechanisms to swiftly correct wrongful exclusions.
Former Intelligence Bureau special director Yashovardhan Azad acknowledged that the initiative had no legal sanctity but said it reflected concerns among citizens and civil society beyond opposition parties.
Former diplomat Shiv Shankar Mukherjee said the controversy had damaged India’s democratic image abroad.
Yadav called it one of the darkest moments in India’s electoral democracy, while Anjali of the All India Students’ Association said the initiative sought to safeguard Indian democracy.
The campaign comes amid continuing controversy over the SIR, including allegations of wrongful deletions, changes to enrolment procedures and concerns over the Election Commission’s functioning.
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