# Opposition seeks CEC impeachment after report of EC internal dissent

2026-09-23T06:31:38+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 6 independent outlets

Opposition parties demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Wednesday after an Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections to EC decisions at least 14 times in 10 months. The objections concerned the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, changes to Form 6 for new voters, and centralised control of voter databases, which the commissioners called "unauthorised and illegal." EC sources said all decisions were unanimous and taken with the approval of all three commissioners. Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC and CPI(M) leaders urged Parliament to revive an impeachment motion first moved in April 2026. TMC's Derek O'Brien said 60 Rajya Sabha MPs had already signed a removal notice. CPI(M)'s John Brittas called the EC a "one-man autocracy" and asked the Supreme Court to annul the SIR exercise. Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav said the dissent proved commissioners were not free to perform their duties. The Cabinet Secretary has reportedly been copied on separate complaints from the two commissioners about the EC's IT systems.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The Indian Express investigation drove the news cycle, with most opposition parties quoted directly demanding the CEC's removal and linking the SIR to a systematic disenfranchisement. Election Commission sources uniformly denied any internal rift, insisting all decisions including the SIR were unanimous. Neither side produced documentary evidence beyond what the Indian Express cited. The coverage is polarised: opposition outlets foreground the objections and the calls for impeachment, while neutral wires balance the denial and the dissent. The story now rests on what the Cabinet Secretary or the Supreme Court does with the formal complaints that the two commissioners are reported to have filed. The Rajya Sabha impeachment motion, already submitted in April 2026 by over 60 MPs, is the concrete next step.

## Coverage

- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gyanesh-kumar-enemy-of-india-cjp-abhijeet-dipke-report-ec-internal-rift-cec-sukhbir-singh-sandhu-vivek-joshi-101790140113469.html>
  Leads with official denial from EC sources, frames report as contested
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/election-commission-sources-reject-report-of-internal-disquiet-sir-all-other-decisions-unanimous-101790138963394.html>
  Leads with official denial from EC sources, frames report as contested
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sir-decision-unanimous-ec-plays-down-report-of-internal-disagreement-over-roll-revision/articleshow/134426813.cms>
  Brings EC denial and quotes opposition reaction in roughly equal space
- thehindu.com (government critical) <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/election-commission-dissent-sparks-opposition-call-for-cec-gyanesh-kumars-removal/article71498434.ece>
  Foregrounds opposition impeachment call, details report's allegations at length
- livemint.com (government critical) <https://www.livemint.com/news/oneman-autocracy-opposition-wants-cec-gyanesh-kumar-impeached-over-report-of-14-ec-objections-sir-indian-express-11790142674797.html>
  Leads with and amplifies opposition's strongest calls for removal
- news.abplive.com (neutral report) <https://news.abplive.com/news/india/election-commission-responds-to-questions-over-sir-process-says-decisions-taken-with-everyone-approval-1867935>
  Brackets EC denial and opposition reaction, report is trigger for both
- indiatvnews.com (pro government) <https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/election-commission-sources-reject-reports-of-internal-rift-over-sir-say-all-decisions-were-unanimous-latest-updates-2026-09-23-1055009>
  Leads with and only reports EC sources' denial, no opposition quote

Tags: Akhilesh Yadav, Election Commission of India, Gyanesh Kumar, Indian Express, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Vivek Joshi
Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/two-ec-officials-flagged-14-objections-in-10-months-cec-denies-rift/
License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources.
Cite: https://indianopinion.org/two-ec-officials-flagged-14-objections-in-10-months-cec-denies-rift/#story-in-brief
