India Supreme Court to Hear Petitions Challenging Chief Election Commissioner’s Authority

India’s Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of petitions on Monday challenging the conduct of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who faces allegations of making unilateral decisions concerning the nation’s contentious voter list revisions.

The legal proceedings follow widespread protests in New Delhi and Mumbai over the weekend, where thousands of demonstrators, including opposition supporters and members of the Gen-Z-led Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) movement, called for Kumar’s resignation. The CJP, which gained prominence after a successful July campaign contributed to the resignation of the former education minister, has now targeted the election chief.

According to reports from India media, the petitions seek the suspension of Kumar due to his alleged independent actions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a nationwide voter verification exercise initiated last year. Critics argue that the SIR has resulted in the disenfranchisement of millions of eligible voters by removing their names from electoral rolls.

The controversy intensified after the Indian Express reported that two fellow election commissioners raised at least 14 formal objections over a ten-month period regarding registrations, deletions, restorations, and data control, but these concerns were allegedly ignored. Kumar, who leads the three-member commission, has not yet responded to the accusations.

The Election Commission of India has denied any wrongdoing, stating that the revision process is designed to eliminate deceased individuals, those who have relocated, duplicate entries, and illegal foreign immigrants. However, opposition parties allege the changes disproportionately benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a claim the party rejects.

A three-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, will address the petitions. One plea requests a judicial declaration that the chief election commissioner cannot act without the concurrence of the other two commissioners. Another seeks the revocation of the 14 contested decisions and the establishment of an independent judicial inquiry or a special investigation team led by a retired Supreme Court judge.

In related developments, the CJP has announced a planned march to New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 as pressure on the government and the election commission mounts.