SC to hear plea raising doubts over ECI decisions under Gyanesh Kumar next week

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 29, 2026: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear next week a petition raising doubts over decisions taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, amid allegations of differences within the poll panel over its handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who mentioned the matter before the bench, submitted that under the statutory scheme, decisions of the multi-member Election Commission are required to be either unanimous or taken by majority.

“The way the Election Commission is functioning, there is serious doubt over whether the decisions are unanimous," Singh told the bench.

The petition comes against the backdrop of a report in The Indian Express, which claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders concerning the SIR exercise.

According to the report cited in the petition, the two Election Commissioners had objected to certain decisions, stating that these were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

ECI Says Letters Concerned Officer On Deputation

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the letters sent by Sandhu and Joshi to the Cabinet Secretary were related to an officer on deputation and did not concern policy or information technology division matters.

The development comes as questions over the functioning of the poll panel have become a major political issue, particularly in the context of the SIR exercise and the reported differences among its members.

The Congress Working Committee is holding a meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, with the SIR process and the reported differences within the Election Commission among the issues on its agenda.

The Congress has also been holding protests seeking the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Congress Leaders Raise ECI Differences At CWC Meeting

AICC in-charge for Goa Manikrao Thakare said the opposition was united on the issue and called for continued agitation until Kumar resigns.

“The entire opposition is united," Thakare said, alleging that steps taken by the BJP government and the functioning of the poll panel had raised questions about democracy.

He further said there should be a “full-fledged agitation" until Kumar resigns.

Congress leader Rajni Patil also said the removal of Gyanesh Kumar remained the party’s key issue following programmes held across states.

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Pratibha Singh referred to the reported 14 objections by the two Election Commissioners and said the issue had created a “widespread stir" across the country.

She also said the Prime Minister should take cognisance of the matter and take action.

Congress leader and AICC observer Mukul Wasnik said the party had been raising concerns about the Election Commission for several years.

He said Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly raised issues relating to alleged irregularities in the functioning of the poll panel.

Wasnik also rejected allegations against Gandhi and accused the BJP government of attempting to influence autonomous institutions.