Union Minister of State and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Thursday, 24 September 2026, fired back at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders over their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the government would decide on its own course of action and that Gandhi had every right to keep demanding. The row erupted after a media report alleged two Election Commissioners had 'objected on record' to several decisions taken by the poll panel allegedly without their knowledge — a claim the Election Commission of India (ECI) has flatly denied.

Athawale's Defence of the ECI

Addressing the controversy, Athawale argued that the issue at the heart of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row was not about disenfranchising voters but about maintaining the integrity of electoral rolls. 'This is not a question of removing voters from the electoral rolls. Every individual has the right to vote, but deceased persons should not remain on the voter list,' he said. He added that names of eligible living voters were sometimes missing even as deceased individuals remained listed, and stressed that it was the Commission's duty to make the rolls 'clear and transparent.'

Athawale also pointed to what he described as glaring anomalies in voter lists. 'Sometimes it so happens that 40–50 people from a 10x20 feet house are named in the electoral list. So, the Commission will have to probe such incidents,' he said, defending the ECI's revision exercise as a corrective measure rather than a partisan one.

On Demands for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation

Asked specifically about calls for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's removal, Athawale adopted a measured but pointed tone. 'Everyone has the right to make demands. In a democracy, everyone has the right to take a stand,' he said. He added, however, that the government was 'definitely probing why people are upset with the Election Commission' and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government would decide the appropriate next step. 'Rahul Gandhi has the right to demand, let him keep demanding, and we will continue to run the government,' he asserted.

Rebuttal to Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee

Athawale also pushed back against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's charge that the ECI was operating on behalf of the ruling party to 'manipulate' voter outcomes. The Union Minister dismissed the allegation, saying: 'The reality is people vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA due to the development and welfare schemes undertaken in the last 12 years.'

He was equally sharp in his response to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's criticism of the CEC. 'Mamata Banerjee speaks against the Constitution. When she was the Chief Minister, she would try to stop the ED and CBI officials during their probe in the state,' Athawale said.

Background: What Triggered the SIR Row

The controversy centres on a media report claiming that two Election Commissioners had formally objected to decisions taken by the poll panel without their knowledge — an allegation that, if true, would suggest serious internal discord within the ECI. The Commission has denied the report. Opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress (Congress), the Samajwadi Party, and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), have seized on the report to demand accountability from the top election body and the resignation of the CEC. The ruling coalition has countered that the opposition is attempting to delegitimise an independent constitutional institution ahead of upcoming state elections.

What Happens Next

With the government indicating it is 'probing' the concerns around the ECI's functioning, the political pressure on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is unlikely to ease quickly. The ECI's credibility and its handling of electoral roll revisions will remain under scrutiny as several key state assembly elections approach in the months ahead.