Mumbai, September 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused the Election Commission of compromising its neutrality in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged that the exercise could disenfranchise voters, intensifying its criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party alleged that constitutional institutions were being used for political purposes and demanded accountability from senior poll panel officials.
The editorial cited reports of differences within the three-member Election Commission over decisions related to SIR. An Indian Express investigation published on September 25 reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised formal objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions concerning voter additions, deletions, restoration and electoral-roll systems. The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken with the approval of the full Commission.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) editorial alleged that around 13 crore names had been removed from draft electoral rolls in states including Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar. The figure refers to names affected during the SIR exercise and has become a central point of the political dispute; it does not by itself establish that 13 crore eligible voters were permanently disenfranchised.
The party also cited the recent allegation by former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson that Gyanesh Kumar had suggested in 2016 that he contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate from Pathanamthitta. Thomson said he declined the suggestion. Kumar has not publicly responded to the allegation.
The editorial linked the controversy to opposition demands for greater transparency in the electoral-roll revision process and said public protests had been reported in Delhi and Mumbai.
The developments come amid growing political debate over SIR and the functioning of the Election Commission. Opposition parties have called for changes in the poll panel’s functioning and greater scrutiny of the voter-roll revision exercise, while the Election Commission has defended its processes.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) warned that continued controversy over the electoral process could deepen public distrust and called for the restoration of what it described as the constitutional integrity and independence of the Election Commission.
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