Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging systemic failures in the recent electoral roll revision process. Tharoor cited data claiming 90 lakh names were deleted in West Bengal and has announced a public rally in New Delhi to push for greater institutional accountability.
Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has publicly challenged the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the current Special Intensive Revision exercise of electoral rolls. During a media interaction in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor alleged that the administrative process has led to widespread disenfranchisement and called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Tharoor based his criticism on figures from West Bengal, asserting that approximately 90 lakh names were removed from the state's voter list prior to recent assembly elections. He pointed to an unusually high correction rate in appeals, noting that 91 per cent of the 82,000 appeals filed were accepted, suggesting that a large portion of deletions were inaccurate rather than based on legitimate grounds. The MP argued that these statistics point to a lack of administrative precision in the revision mechanism.
Beyond the specific numbers, the criticism covers the underlying methodology of the exercise. Tharoor raised concerns over the withdrawal of Form 6, which is used for voter registration, and a reported spike in Form 7 filings, which are used to object to existing names on the list. He also questioned the ECI's decision to base the current revision on electoral rolls dating back to 2002, terming it an unprecedented procedural shift that requires clarification.
To escalate the matter, the Congress party has organized a demonstration at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1. While the immediate focus is on electoral roll management, the broader issue of institutional governance remains a point of interest for observers. For market participants and the wider public, the integrity and transparency of constitutional institutions are fundamental to maintaining a predictable and stable regulatory environment. Clarity on these processes is often viewed as essential for institutional trust, and ongoing public discourse on administrative accountability is a key indicator of governance standards in the country.