Karnataka CM, Dy. CM demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, seek fresh roll revision

Seeking the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar demanded that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls be withdrawn, followed by a fresh revision.  

Mr. Shivakumar said the issue concerned the voting rights of every citizen and that it was not about any political party, arguing that the SIR had been conducted in a manner that could affect citizens. He said similar concerns had emerged in West Bengal, Bihar and other States. Karnataka, too, was now facing the same situation, he said, adding that he had sought more time from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Questioning the functioning of the poll panel, Mr. Shivakumar pointed to differences among its members, with two Election Commissioners raising objections to major decisions, including changes to Form 6 and the ECI’s software. He said decisions should not be imposed when a majority did not agree with an opinion. “In such a situation, the Chief Election Commissioner should voluntarily resign on moral grounds,” he said.

Further questioning the manner in which Forms 6, 7 and 8 were being used during the revision, Mr. Shivakumar said the process needed wider scrutiny and argued that the issue should be discussed extensively, including in Parliament.

‘CEC not above the ECI’

Referring to the “vote chori” concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Mahadevapura and Aland Assembly constituencies, and allegations of duplicate voters in Haryana, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara sought an independent inquiry into the functioning of the ECI and demanded the removal of the CEC.

Dr. Parameshwara questioned whether the three-member constitutional body was functioning through collective decision-making when two of its members had raised objections to decisions being issued without their approval. “Has a three-member constitutional body been reduced to the will of one individual, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar? He is first among equals, not above the Commission,” he said, arguing that the majority view could not be bypassed.

Pointing to objections over changes to Form 6, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “Mr. Kumar should not continue as CEC while questions remained over decisions taken under his leadership.“