Wayanad, September 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and said he should face criminal prosecution if it is established that he knowingly allowed violations of the electoral process during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Speaking to the media during her visit to Wayanad, Priyanka said the Opposition INDIA bloc was united on the issue and described the developments surrounding the SIR exercise as an alleged assault on the constitutional and democratic process.
“The immediate demand is that Kumar should resign. We are all together. The INDIA bloc is united. Whatever is going on is anti-constitutional,” she said.
Priyanka also questioned the legal safeguards available to the CEC, arguing that such protection should not prevent prosecution if an illegal act is established. Her remarks echoed statements she made earlier this week, when she said that alleged tampering with electoral rolls and deletion of voters would warrant criminal action if proven.
The controversy follows reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over decisions and orders related to the SIR and electoral-roll procedures. The Election Commission, however, has rejected suggestions of an internal split and has maintained that decisions concerning the exercise were taken unanimously.
The ECI’s official website lists Gyanesh Kumar as Chief Election Commissioner, with Sandhu and Joshi serving as Election Commissioners.
Priyanka alleged that the BJP was protecting the CEC and the party’s leadership. She has also previously alleged that around 13 crore names were deleted from electoral rolls during the SIR process, while the Election Commission has maintained that the revision is being carried out under the applicable electoral framework. The figure and allegations of unlawful deletion remain contested political claims.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal also intensified the party’s criticism, warning of a major protest against the CEC. He questioned the Centre’s response to the allegations and said the government owed an explanation to the public.
Venugopal also referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence in Kerala and sought a response from the Centre over what Congress leaders described as threats to the democratic process.
The Congress demands come amid an escalating political dispute over the SIR exercise and the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has maintained that differences or observations during institutional deliberations do not amount to a division within the poll panel and that its final decisions have been unanimous.
Priyanka, however, argued that the issue went beyond a routine administrative disagreement, saying the integrity of the electoral process was central to the functioning of democracy.
FOLLOW NOW
