Congress Working Committee’s Resolution on Electoral Roll Controversy
On 29 September 2026, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution that called for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, an immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, restoration of more than 13.3 crore voters deleted during the SIR, and the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for alleged "vote theft".
Key Developments
- The CWC, chaired by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, demanded the immediate removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, stating he has lost moral and institutional authority.
- The resolution called for a halt to the SIR, citing concerns over the integrity, transparency and constitutional validity of the process.
- It demanded the restoration of the 13 crore 30 lakh names removed from the electoral rolls.
- The CWC alleged that the "vote theft" was carried out on behalf of the ruling party and asked for the resignation of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
- Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal, pledged to pursue the issue in Parliament, courts and on the streets.
Important Facts
The meeting lasted two and a half hours and was attended by senior Congress figures such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K.C. Venugopal. The CWC’s statement highlighted that two Election Commissioners had described the CEC’s actions as "arbitrary and unreasonable". It also demanded that all data on roll changes be made public, that deleted voters be allowed to appeal, and that political parties receive the rolls in a simple format.
Exam Relevance
The episode touches on several core UPSC topics:
- Constitutional provisions for the removal of the CEC (Article 324 and the removal process under the Constitution).
- The role and independence of the Election Commission as a cornerstone of democratic governance.
- Significance of accurate electoral rolls for the legitimacy of elections.
- Political accountability of the executive, especially the Union Home Minister, in safeguarding electoral integrity.
- Implications of allegations like vote theft on public trust and democratic stability.
Way Forward
Given the political pressure, the following steps are likely:
- Legal challenges in the Supreme Court questioning the constitutional validity of the SIR and the removal of voters.
- Parliamentary debates on the accountability of the CEC and possible amendments to strengthen the independence of the Election Commission.
- Potential formation of an independent, time‑bound probe to examine anomalies in the roll‑cleaning exercise.
- Public and civil‑society advocacy for greater transparency in the roll‑revision process.
For UPSC aspirants, monitoring this evolving dispute offers insight into how constitutional bodies, political parties, and the judiciary interact in safeguarding India’s democratic processes.