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Telangana: Congress Holds Statewide Protests Over CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Pradeep S V 28 Sept 2026 3 min read 184 views
The Telangana (opens in a new tab) Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) organised protests across the state on September 28, 2026, as part of the Congress party’s nationwide programme concerning the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protests included a demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Protests Held Across Telangana
TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud had called on Congress leaders and workers to hold demonstrations at all district headquarters in Telangana. In Hyderabad, the party organised a protest march from the Indira Gandhi statue towards the Election Commission office.
The Hyderabad programme followed an earlier announcement that a demonstration would be held at the Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund. The protests were part of the wider programme announced by the All India Congress Committee.
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The Telangana Congress has raised questions about the Election Commission's handling of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Mahesh Kumar Goud has asked the ECI to clarify reported objections concerning aspects of the electoral-roll revision process. In particular, the TPCC has sought explanations regarding changes proposed in Form 6, which is used for applications for registration as a new voter.
The party has also questioned how changes to voter information are recorded and monitored, and has called for greater clarity regarding the role and accountability of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
Demand for Electoral-Roll Data
The Telangana Congress has also called for detailed information concerning deletions made during the SIR exercise.
According to reports, the party has sought state-wise and constituency-wise information on deleted names, including the grounds cited for deletion, objections submitted by voters and the number of names subsequently restored. It has additionally called for an audit trail showing who made changes to voter data, when those changes were made and the authority under which they were carried out.
These are demands and allegations made by the Congress, rather than findings independently established in the reports.
Reported Objections Within the Election Commission
The Telangana Congress has also referred to reporting about objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi concerning aspects of electoral-roll revision.
The issue became part of the broader national political debate after reports said the two Election Commissioners had raised objections on several matters relating to electoral-roll revisions. Congress has cited these reports while asking the ECI to provide further clarification.
The Election Commission (opens in a new tab) has disputed the characterisation of these differences as an institutional split, saying that differing views, operational questions and administrative suggestions can occur within a multi-member constitutional body and that final decisions concerning SIR were unanimous.
Wider Political Debate
The Telangana protest is part of a broader political dispute between the Congress and the Election Commission over the SIR exercise and the functioning of the poll body.
Congress has demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and greater disclosure concerning electoral-roll changes. At the same time, the Election Commission has defended its decision-making process and rejected descriptions suggesting that reported differences among commissioners demonstrate an institutional breakdown.
In Telangana, the issue has also attracted attention from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). BRS leader B. Vinod Kumar separately called for Gyanesh Kumar to step down and raised concerns about electoral-roll deletions and the SIR process.
What Happens Next
The dispute over SIR, electoral-roll revisions and the functioning of the Election Commission is expected to remain a significant political issue in Telangana and nationally.
The Congress has indicated that it wants greater transparency regarding changes to voter records and the publication of detailed information about deletions and subsequent restorations. The Election Commission's position is that its decision-making process remains within the established framework of a multi-member constitutional body.
The developments are therefore part of an ongoing political and institutional debate, with different parties presenting different interpretations of the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR process.
“Telangana Congress held statewide protests on September 28, 2026, raising concerns over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has sought greater transparency and detailed information on voter-list revisions and deletions.”
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By Shivani CH • 107 views
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