CPI MP Sandosh Kumar slams ECs 'unanimous' SIR defence, says decision "violates 1960 electoral registration rules"

Reacting to the ECIs affidavit before the Supreme Court, Kumar said unanimity among the three Election Commissioners did not absolve the poll body of responsibility for the decisions taken.

Whether it was unanimous or whether it was a majority decision, that makes no difference at all. The decision was unwanted, the decision is not acceptable, and that is in violation of the 1960 electoral registration rules, he told ANI.

Kumar questioned whether the SIR exercise was required and who had ordered changes to Form 6. He also alleged that the ECI had failed to submit details of the proceedings behind its decisions.

If now they say, Oh, we all three took the decision, if all three took a decision, even then it is not acceptable because that is against the 1960 electoral registration rules, he said.

These are all, you know, tactics of the Election Commission to save Gyanesh Kumar, he added.

The remarks came after the ECI told the Supreme Court that its three orders concerning the SIR exercise, dated June 24, 2025, October 27, 2025, and May 14, 2026, were unanimously approved by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

The Commission denied allegations that the CEC had taken unilateral decisions despite objections from the other two Commissioners. It also maintained that the SIR orders had not amended Form 6, stating that only the Central Government could amend the form prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

The ECI said the declaration required during the SIR exercise was a separate document intended to facilitate the mapping of applicants with earlier electoral rolls. It also opposed the plea seeking to restrain Kumar from functioning as CEC, citing Article 324(5) of the Constitution.

Furthermore, P Sandosh Kumar also defended the INDIA blocs Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao rally scheduled to be held at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, urging Delhis traders not to view the protest separately from the demand for electoral reforms.

If democracy is saved, if electoral processes are proper, then trade can be saved. So without democracy, without proper electoral rules, how can we think about trade? he said.

He appealed to traders to recognise that the protest was intended to safeguard the interests of different sections of society and called for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

This is a pan-India movement and comprehensive electoral reforms, and especially the removal of this CEC, are the need of the hour, he said.

Don't link this with any other issue. We would like to appeal to the traders that they should understand they are also citizens of this country, no? So to flourish trade, we need a proper democracy, peace and everything, Kumar added.

He also urged the Centre to reconsider its position. The government should review its position, and they should take initiative to remove this CEC, he said.

His remarks came amid concerns raised by the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), which wrote to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeking postponement of the rally until after November 10, citing the peak festive shopping season.

The traders body pointed out that Dhanteras falls on November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhai Dooj on November 10. It estimated that Dhanteras alone accounts for around Rs 25,000 crore in business in Delhi and claimed that traders had already suffered losses of approximately Rs 3,000 crore in October due to road closures and traffic diversions in central Delhi.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appealed to people to attend the rally, alleging that the government was not concerned about inflation and accusing it of vote theft. The Congress has demanded the CECs resignation and an immediate halt to the SIR exercise. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal has said the party expects 10 lakh people to attend the rally.

Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, urged Delhis traders to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the CEC, writing, With a stolen vote nothing is safe - your shop, your savings, your childrens future. Tell Modi to sack accused no. 4, Gyanesh Kumar and the protests will stop in 30 seconds.

Kumar also backed the ongoing protest by students of Jamia Millia Islamia, who have been demanding the restoration of the students union and a definite timeline for elections. He said administrative warnings would not deter students from raising their concerns.

Students of our country have shown their fighting spirit in the past also. It's happened many times. So no, these kinds of orders and threats can't stop the students from agitating, he said.

He urged the university administration to address what he described as the students genuine concerns and respect their democratic rights.

The administration should try to address the genuine issues, pressurisation of the democratic rights of the students of Jamia Millia, he said.

Referring to the protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Kumar said the administration there had initially resisted the students demands but eventually had to concede.

Then finally they had to concede to the demand of the students. So like that in Jamia also, the student protest is going on, and they must understand. Jamia authority should understand this gravity of the situation, he said.

He further asserted that threats and disciplinary action would not bring the agitation to an end.

Threats and these kinds of actions will not stop the protest. And so the students will continue the agitation; we all are supporting them because it's a movement for democratic rights of the students, Kumar said.

The remarks came after Jamia Millia Islamia issued a final warning to protesting students, asking them to vacate the Gulistan-e-Ghalib Building and Ghalib Lawn in the universitys North Campus or face disciplinary and legal action.

The university administration also announced that students union elections would be held 15 days after approval of the union constitution. It further revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued during the protest period and said a committee would be constituted to inquire into the conduct of security staff.

However, the protesting students rejected the administrations notice, maintaining that the assurance did not provide a definite timeline for the restoration of the students union and elections. They also said students on hunger strike would continue their protest until their demands were met.

The students have additionally sought the resignation of the Proctor and the Security Adviser, asserting that vague assurances would not resolve the dispute. (ANI)