Chandigarh.
Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Rao Narender Singh has expressed serious concern over a report published by The Indian Express regarding the alleged filing of at least 14 written objections over the past 10 months by two Election Commissioners against the decisions and functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
He said the matter was not merely an internal disagreement within the Election Commission, but a matter of immense importance concerning the independence, fairness and transparency of the country’s electoral system. According to The Indian Express report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly raised objections at least 14 times on various issues, including the addition and deletion of names from electoral rolls, changes in Form 6 and the management of electoral data.
Rao Narender Singh said that repeated written objections by two members of a constitutional body such as the Election Commission must be taken seriously. He said these objections should be subjected to an independent, impartial and transparent inquiry so that clear answers can be provided to the questions being raised among voters regarding the electoral process.
He said that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has for a long time been raising the issue of alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and what he has described as “vote theft.” He said the written objections reportedly emerging from within the Election Commission have made the questions being raised about the electoral process even more serious. The Congress has demanded an impartial inquiry into the entire matter.
Rao Narender Singh said that the Congress party will gherao the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, at 30 Bays Building, Sector 17, Chandigarh, at 1:00 PM on September 25, 2026, over this issue. Before the gherao, Congress workers will assemble at the Circus Ground, behind Sector 17 Bus Stand, in front of the Mini Secretariat, adjacent to the Fire Brigade.
Three Major Demands of the Congress
Rao Narender Singh said that the Congress party’s major demands are:
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar should be immediately removed from office and arrested.
The serious allegations being levelled against Gyanesh Kumar should be investigated impartially, and action should be taken in accordance with law on the basis of the findings of the inquiry.
The important election-related decisions taken during Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure should be independently reviewed.
He said the gherao, being organised by the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, will be led by Haryana Pradesh Congress President Rao Narender Singh and former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Chaudhary Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Haryana Congress in-charge Sanjay Dutt will also be specially present.
AICC General Secretary and MP Kumari Selja, AICC General Secretary and MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, senior leader Chaudhary Birender Singh, permanent member of the Congress Working Committee and MP Deepender Singh Hooda, along with MPs, MLAs and senior party leaders, will also participate in the programme.
Rao Narender Singh appealed to all Congress MPs and MLAs, presidents of District and Block Congress Committees, AICC and PCC members, former Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates, party candidates in municipal elections, office-bearers of frontal organisations and departments, as well as senior party leaders and workers, to participate in the programme in large numbers.
He said, “This is not a fight of any one political party; it is a question concerning the protection of democracy, the Constitution and the voting rights of every citizen. Maintaining public trust in the electoral process is the foremost responsibility of the Election Commission. Therefore, the serious questions being raised must be addressed through an impartial inquiry and a clear resolution.”
