Congress Launches Month-Long Campaign Against CEC: 'Vote Chori' Agitation Plan
Congress announced a month-long campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR, with Kharge listing demands including resignation and ballot paper polls.
The announcement
Congress announced a month-long campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 5, with general secretary KC Venugopal promising an 'aggressive' push against what the party calls 'vote chori', according to Hindustan Times live coverage. The Kerala Congress chief also outlined a state-level agitation.
Kharge's demands
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge listed what he called non-negotiable demands, as reported by The Economic Times: the CEC's resignation, annulment of the SIR and a return to ballot-paper elections. These demands go further than many civil society groups, which focus on restoring deleted names.
How it links to street protests
The campaign runs alongside protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Rahul Gandhi has also criticised Delhi Police over complaints by women journalists at Jantar Mantar. Other opposition leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav, Mahua Moitra and SP MP Dharmendra Yadav, made similar criticisms of the CEC on October 5.
BJP's response
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Rahul Gandhi of misleading the public on Form 6 and the Bihar SIR. The BJP says the Election Commission is a constitutional body doing a lawful clean-up of voter rolls. An NDA delegation also met Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer on the SIR.
Is a return to ballot papers possible?
Switching from EVMs to paper ballots would require major legal and logistical changes, and the Supreme Court has previously upheld the use of EVMs with VVPAT. The demand is therefore more of a political statement than an immediate possibility.
What voters can do now
- Check your name on the official electoral roll search
- Contact your Booth Level Officer if missing
- File Form 6 for inclusion within deadlines
- Keep acknowledgement receipts
Frequently asked questions
What are Congress's demands on the SIR?
Kharge listed the CEC's resignation, annulment of the SIR and ballot-paper polls.
How long is the Congress campaign?
Congress announced a month-long campaign starting in October 2026.
Sources
Independently written from reporting by the outlets below. Allegations are attributed and have not been independently verified by EngBen. Details may change.