Congress protests in Chandigarh, demands removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Synopsis
Congress took its anti-CEC campaign to Chandigarh's streets on 25 September, with senior Punjab leaders demanding Gyanesh Kumar's removal and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls — framing the SIR exercise as a BJP-engineered voter-purge ahead of Punjab assembly elections.
Key Takeaways
Hundreds of Congress workers protested in Chandigarh on 25 September 2026 , demanding the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
Punjab Pradesh Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleged the CEC was colluding with the BJP to 'steal elections.' Congress demanded the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Punjab be scrapped, calling it a tool for voter disenfranchisement.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa insisted no voter name be deleted without prior notice and opportunity to verify eligibility.
Former Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa cited Rahul Gandhi 's three-year-old warnings about ECI partiality as now validated.
The Election Commission of India had not publicly responded to the allegations as of the time of the protest.
Hundreds of Congress workers took to the streets in Chandigarh on Friday, 25 September 2026, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, whom they accused of subverting the electoral process and colluding with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The demonstration drew participation from senior party leaders and included slogans directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Key Allegations Against the CEC
Punjab Pradesh Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, addressing the crowd, claimed that evidence of the CEC's alleged compromise was 'emerging daily.' He invoked recent state election results in Haryana and Maharashtra, arguing that the BJP's victories there were implausible given the party's poor showing in the 2024 parliamentary elections held just months prior.
'This has never happened in the history of the country. What is seen to be an electoral victory is actually theft of elections (vote-chori),' Warring said. He further alleged that the 2024 parliamentary elections were themselves rigged — a sweeping claim he did not substantiate with specific evidence at the protest.
Controversy Over Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls
A central focus of the demonstration was the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently under way in Punjab. Warring demanded that the SIR exercise be scrapped entirely, describing it as an instrument to disenfranchise genuine voters — particularly those suspected of not supporting the BJP.
He also accused the CEC of erecting barriers for first-time voters, arguing that the conditions prescribed under Form 6 for fresh voter registration were 'humanly impossible' to fulfil. 'This is just an attempt to deny the younger generation, the Gen Z, their franchise as the BJP is convinced they will never vote for it,' he said.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa echoed the concern, stressing that no voter's name should be deleted from the rolls without prior notice, verification of identity, and an opportunity to establish eligibility. 'Every proposed deletion must be properly verified, and the person concerned must have an opportunity to establish their eligibility,' Bajwa said.
Senior Leaders Back Rahul Gandhi's Long-Standing Warning
Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had been raising concerns for three years about the Election Commission of India (ECI) allegedly acting in the BJP's interest. Randhawa argued that recent developments had exposed both institutions before the public, causing 'immense damage' to the credibility of elections in India.
This comes amid a broader, months-long political campaign by the Congress to delegitimise the current Election Commission leadership ahead of the Punjab assembly elections. The party's demands — scrapping the SIR, easing Form 6 norms, and retaining the old electoral rolls — represent a direct challenge to the ECI's authority and operational decisions.
What Happens Next
The Election Commission of India has not publicly responded to the specific allegations raised at the Chandigarh protest. The Congress has indicated it will escalate its campaign if the SIR exercise continues in its present form. With Punjab assembly elections on the horizon, the battle over the electoral rolls is set to intensify, and the CEC's tenure is likely to remain a flashpoint in opposition politics.
Point of View
However, has a real procedural dimension: if voter deletions proceed without adequate notice, it is a genuine due-process failure regardless of intent. The opposition would strengthen its credibility by separating those two arguments rather than conflating them into a single conspiracy narrative.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Congress workers protesting against CEC Gyanesh Kumar?
Congress workers allege that CEC Gyanesh Kumar is colluding with the BJP to rig elections, pointing to what they describe as implausible BJP victories in Haryana and Maharashtra after the party's poor performance in the 2024 parliamentary elections. They also accuse him of orchestrating a voter-roll revision exercise in Punjab designed to disenfranchise opposition supporters.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission to update and clean up voter rolls by verifying entries and removing ineligible names. Congress leaders allege the current SIR in Punjab is being misused to delete genuine voters, particularly those unlikely to support the BJP, and are demanding it be scrapped.
What did Congress leaders say about Form 6 registration rules?
Punjab Pradesh Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleged that conditions in Form 6 — the application for new voter registration — are 'humanly impossible' to fulfil, effectively preventing first-time voters, especially young people, from enrolling. He characterised this as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise Gen Z voters.
Has the Election Commission responded to these allegations?
As of 25 September 2026, the Election Commission of India had not publicly responded to the specific allegations raised at the Chandigarh protest. The ECI has previously defended its electoral roll revision process as a standard administrative exercise.
What is Congress demanding ahead of the Punjab assembly elections?
Congress is demanding the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, the scrapping of the ongoing SIR exercise in Punjab, retention of the electoral rolls used during the 2024 parliamentary elections, and stricter safeguards ensuring voters are notified and given a chance to verify eligibility before any deletion from the rolls.
