Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of being a BJP headhunter after media reports claimed Kumar was approached to recruit for BJP while serving as an IAS officer, later appointed to oversee elections; Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh criticized the EC's response as damage control.
AI-generated summary
Media reports indicated that a former Kerala bureaucrat claimed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar approached him to contest elections on a BJP ticket while serving as an IAS officer, prompting criticism from opposition leaders.
Rahul Gandhi calls CEC Gyanesh Kumar a тАШBJP headhunterтАЩ
NEW DELHI: With a top former bureaucrat of Kerala reportedly saying that chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had approached him to contest election on BJP ticket, leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi Saturday mocked that the poll panel chief was a headhunter for BJP and then put in charge of fixing polls. "First, Gyanesh Kumar - then a serving IAS officer - was used to recruit for BJP. Then PM Modi and Shah made him the umpire and put him in charge of match-fixing India's elections," the Congress functionary posted on X, referring to the media reports. Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh dismissed the Election Commission 's response to the recent media revelations. "Election Commission is in damage control mode after it has already caused massive damage to our democracy. It has just issued a wishy-washy press note that raises further questions on its intent, integrity, impartiality and credibility."
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AI outlook тАФ possibilities, not facts
The Election Commission will face increased scrutiny from opposition parties and civil society groups.
Likely ┬╖ Within days
Demands for an independent investigation into the allegations against Gyanesh Kumar will grow.
Possible ┬╖ Within weeks
The Election Commission of India has retained the mandatory declaration requirement for fresh voter enrolment via Form 6 in states and union territories undergoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), while removing it for non-SIR areas. The declaration, which maps applicants to previous SIR electoral rolls, was upheld by the Supreme Court and introduced in phases starting June 2025. Internal dissent among commissioners and opposition criticism over unilateral changes were noted, but the EC affirmed full commission approval of all SIR orders.
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The Central Election Commission took several decisions related to Voter List Revision (SIR) after the meeting of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other commissioners. The opposition called it inadequate, while the BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading lies.