Chidambaram demands CEC resignation over electoral roll controversy

Chidambaram’s demand follows reports that Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Sandhu formally recorded 14 objections over the last ten months regarding decision-making within the three-member panel. These internal disputes reached a breaking point during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a process intended to clean voter lists but which instead triggered nationwide demonstrations from the INDIA bloc and various civil society groups.

Opposition leaders allege that the revision resulted in the systematic, untraceable deletion of voters, specifically targeting areas leaning toward non-ruling parties. Chidambaram has urged state-level election officials to disclose the nature of the instructions they received before judicial intervention becomes inevitable. He contends that state officials should clarify whether their concerns regarding the legality of the SIR process were overruled by the central leadership.

The Election Commission maintains that the revision process adheres to strict verification protocols, including mandatory field checks and Form 7 filing requirements. Regarding internal friction, the panel characterized the recorded objections as part of standard deliberation in a collegial institution, asserting that all final decisions were approved unanimously. Despite these defenses, Chidambaram insists that the opposition will continue its pressure campaign until accountability is established, noting that while the current focus remains on the CEC, the party will expand its scrutiny if evidence of wrongdoing by other commissioners emerges.