Shiv Sena (UBT) attacks ECI over 'poll panel mutiny', demands Shah's removal
Synopsis
Shiv Sena (UBT)'s party mouthpiece Saamana dropped a bombshell editorial on 24 September, alleging that Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi objected 14 times to CEC Gyanesh Kumar's functioning and escalated the matter to the PMO — a claim that, if true, suggests the ECI is facing its deepest internal rupture in years, even as the opposition demands Home Minister Amit Shah's immediate removal.
Key Takeaways
Shiv Sena (UBT) published a scathing editorial in Saamana on 24 September 2026 , attacking the ECI and Amit Shah .
The editorial alleged Election Commissioners Sukhbir Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections 14 times in ten months against CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
The two commissioners reportedly escalated internal complaints to the Cabinet Secretariat and the PMO .
The party claimed approximately 13 crore voters were disenfranchised nationally and over 2 crore names deleted from Maharashtra's rolls via the SSR process.
An abrupt rise of 42 lakh votes during the Maharashtra Assembly elections was flagged as allegedly facilitating the BJP-led alliance's victory.
The editorial demanded PM Modi immediately sack Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Thursday, 24 September 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing the poll body of functioning like a 'domestic servant' of the ruling establishment and eroding public trust in constitutional institutions. The broadside came through an editorial in the party's mouthpiece, Saamana, citing what it described as investigative media reports on deep internal rifts within the Commission.
The Internal Dissension Claim
The editorial alleged that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over the past ten months against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar's style of functioning, which the party characterised as 'arbitrary' and 'mafia-like.' According to the editorial, Kumar allegedly ignored these objections and continued to unilaterally add or delete voters' names in a manner that, the party claimed, benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The two dissenting commissioners reportedly escalated the matter directly to the Cabinet Secretariat, thereby alerting the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) about the crisis — a step that, if accurate, would represent an extraordinary breakdown of consensus within the constitutional body. The ECI has not officially responded to these specific allegations.
Voter Roll Deletions and the SSR Controversy
The Saamana editorial levelled serious allegations about the Special Summary Revision (SSR) process, describing it as a 'systemic scam.' It claimed that approximately 13 crore voters had reportedly been disenfranchised across India under the guise of the SSR exercise, including prominent citizens. The editorial further alleged that over two crore voter names were removed from Maharashtra's electoral rolls.
Notably, the party pointed to an abrupt increase of 42 lakh votes during the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, which it alleged cleared the path for the BJP-led alliance's victory. Similar targeted deletions of lakhs of voters were also alleged to have taken place during Assembly elections in West Bengal and Bihar, the editorial stated.
Direct Attack on Amit Shah and ECI Leadership
The Thackeray camp described Home Minister Amit Shah as the principal 'mastermind' behind what it termed constitutional degradation. Former CEC Rajiv Kumar and current CEC Gyanesh Kumar were labelled 'constitutional mafias' and 'executioners of democracy' in the editorial's pointed language. The party also accused the ECI leadership of undermining democratic processes by facilitating party splits and transferring original party names and symbols to breakaway factions — a reference widely understood to relate to the Shiv Sena and NCP splits.
The editorial declared that 'the public has completely lost faith in constitutional bodies like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission,' framing the crisis as institutional rather than merely electoral.
Demand for Prime Ministerial Action
Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, the editorial stated: 'As long as individuals like Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar remain in power, the Constitution of India holds no meaning. The Prime Minister must sack them immediately — only then can the country be saved. Since Shah and Kumar will not resign on their own, removing them is the only choice left before PM Modi.'
The editorial praised opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, and Tejashwi Yadav for consistently raising concerns about electoral irregularities, while commending Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi for reportedly bringing internal wrongdoing to light. The BJP has not yet issued a formal rebuttal to the editorial's claims. With state elections on the horizon, the opposition's campaign to question ECI's impartiality is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Not dismissal. If true, it would mark an unprecedented institutional fracture within the ECI. The broader pattern — disenfranchisement allegations, voter-roll deletions, symbol disputes — has been raised by multiple opposition parties across states, suggesting this is not merely Thackeray's grudge but a coordinated opposition narrative. The ruling establishment's continued silence on the Sandhu-Joshi objections, rather than a point-by-point rebuttal, is itself a data point worth watching.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'poll panel mutiny' referred to by Shiv Sena (UBT)?
Shiv Sena (UBT) used the phrase to describe reported internal dissension within the Election Commission, where commissioners Sukhbir Sandhu and Vivek Joshi allegedly objected 14 times in ten months to CEC Gyanesh Kumar's functioning and escalated their grievances to the Cabinet Secretariat. The party argued this amounts to a mutiny within a constitutional body.
What did Shiv Sena (UBT) allege about voter roll deletions?
The party's editorial alleged that approximately 13 crore voters were disenfranchised across India through the Special Summary Revision (SSR) process, with over two crore names removed from Maharashtra's rolls alone. It also cited an abrupt addition of 42 lakh votes during the Maharashtra Assembly elections as allegedly benefiting the BJP-led alliance.
Why is Shiv Sena (UBT) demanding Amit Shah's removal?
The party described Home Minister Amit Shah as the principal 'mastermind' behind what it called the constitutional degradation of the ECI. It demanded PM Modi sack both Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar, arguing that the Constitution holds no meaning as long as they remain in their positions.
Has the ECI or BJP responded to these allegations?
As of the publication of the Saamana editorial on 24 September 2026, neither the Election Commission of India nor the BJP had issued an official response to the specific allegations of internal dissension or voter-roll manipulation raised in the editorial.
Who are the dissenting Election Commissioners named in the editorial?
The editorial named Election Commissioners Sukhbir Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as the two officials who reportedly raised formal objections against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and escalated the matter to the Cabinet Secretariat, alerting the Prime Minister's Office about the internal crisis.
