Overview
On 28 September 2026, the Maharashtra Congress launched a series of protests across the state demanding the removal and arrest of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The agitation follows an Indian Express investigation that revealed multiple objections raised by senior election officials.
Key Developments
- Protest marches were held outside district collectorates in Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Kolhapur, Solapur, Thane, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
- Congress leaders submitted memoranda to district collectors demanding the removal of Gyanesh Kumar and legal action against him.
- Effigies of the CEC were displayed – on a donkey in Amravati and performing sit‑ups in Thane.
- Senior Congress figures such as Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, Praniti Shinde and former minister Satej Patil participated in the rallies.
- The party alleges that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision removed more than 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and UTs.
Important Facts
- The Indian Express report said that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi lodged at least 14 objections in the past ten months to decisions on voter additions, deletions, and changes to Form 6.
- Internal notes described some steps as “unauthorised” or “illegal”, but the Election Commission of India maintains that decisions were unanimous and part of normal internal processes.
- Congress workers staged protests in over twenty districts, including Beed, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Raigad, Dharashiv, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Jalna, Parbhani, Palghar, Nandurbar, Bhandara and Akola.
Exam Relevance
The episode highlights the functioning of India’s electoral machinery, a core topic in GS2: Polity. Understanding the role of the Chief Election Commissioner and the independence of the Election Commission is essential for questions on electoral reforms, voter‑list management and institutional checks. The controversy also touches upon administrative accountability, a theme in GS4: Ethics, and the political use of protest movements, relevant for GS1: Governance & Politics.
Way Forward
The Maharashtra Congress has warned that protests will intensify until Gyanesh Kumar is removed. The ECI may need to address the internal dissent publicly, possibly by reviewing the SIR methodology and ensuring transparency in voter‑list revisions. For aspirants, tracking the outcome will provide insight into how institutional conflicts are resolved in India’s democratic framework.