Congress Working Committee demands CEC's removal and SIR suspension; no removal order
The Congress Working Committee passed a resolution with demands on the CEC and the SIR. These are party demands, not an order.
Photo: Photo: @kharge / X via PTI (Indian Express)
The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, passed a resolution that makes a set of demands. It asks for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. It asks for a suspension of the SIR of electoral rolls. It asks for deleted names to be restored. It asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to resign. These are decisions of a party committee. They are not an order. No report in this account says the Chief Election Commissioner has been removed.
The Hindu and the Indian Express reported that the committee met that day and passed the resolution. The Hindu, the Indian Express and Hindustan Times reported the demand that Gyanesh Kumar be removed. The Hindu and the Indian Express reported the demand that the SIR be suspended, and the demand that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister resign. ThePrint carried a PTI account of the same political row. None of the four treats the resolution as a removal order.
The number of deleted names is the resolution's number. The Hindu's account of the text asks for "immediate restoration of the 13 crore 30 lakh names". The Indian Express's account of the resolution says the process "wiped out 13 crore 30 lakh Indians from the electoral rolls". Hindustan Times reported that the SIR deleted nearly 130 million names, which is 13 crore and the same order of magnitude, not the phrase "13 crore 30 lakh". Neutral Politics is not offering its own count. The precise figure in the Congress text is what the resolution cites.
The language around the Commission is the Congress's language. Mallikarjun Kharge called the Chief Election Commissioner a puppet. The Indian Express and Hindustan Times attribute that word to him. The Congress alleges "vote chori", also reported as vote theft. The Hindu, the Indian Express and Hindustan Times report that allegation as the party's claim. Alleged vote theft is not a finding in these reports. A puppet is Kharge's description, not a legal status.
The Election Commission's side, as these reports record an earlier position, is narrower. The Commission has earlier said that differing views are part of its decision-making. The Indian Express quoted that as "part of the panel's decision-making process". PTI, via ThePrint, reported that "differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations". That is an account of how the Commission describes disagreement. It does not accept the Congress demands, and it does not remove the Chief Election Commissioner.
The resolution should not be read as the Supreme Court case. This account keeps the Working Committee's demands separate from the Supreme Court hearing on the CEC plea. The reports used here do not say that hearing has ordered a removal, and they do not merge the two. A party resolution can demand a resignation. Only an authority that has the power to remove someone can order it. Nothing in these reports records that order.
What's next
The demands stand as the Congress Working Committee's resolution of 29 September. The Chief Election Commissioner has not been removed by this resolution. The SIR has not been suspended by it. The figure of 13 crore 30 lakh deleted names remains what the Congress text cites. Any later order, or any order in the Supreme Court hearing, would be a separate fact.
Key facts
- On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution. The Hindu and the Indian Express reported the meeting and the resolution.
- The resolution demands removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and suspension of the SIR of electoral rolls. The Hindu, the Indian Express and Hindustan Times reported the removal demand. The Hindu and the Indian Express reported the SIR demand.
- The resolution cites 13 crore 30 lakh deleted names. That figure is what the Congress text cites. It is not an independent count. Hindustan Times reported that the SIR deleted nearly 130 million names, the same order of magnitude, not the same figure.
- The Hindu and the Indian Express reported a demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah resign.
- Mallikarjun Kharge's description of the CEC as a puppet, and the Congress allegation of vote chori or vote theft, are Congress claims. There is no removal order. This is separate from the Supreme Court hearing on the CEC plea.
What each side says
The Congress Working Committee
The resolution demands the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a suspension of the SIR of electoral rolls, restoration of deleted names, and the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The Hindu's account of the resolution says 'immediate restoration of the 13 crore 30 lakh names'. The Indian Express's account of the text says the process 'wiped out 13 crore 30 lakh Indians from the electoral rolls'. Mallikarjun Kharge called the CEC a puppet. The Congress alleges vote chori, also reported as vote theft. Those words are the party's claims.
The Election Commission, as earlier reported
The Election Commission has earlier said that differing views are part of its decision-making. The Indian Express reported that such views are 'part of the panel's decision-making process'. PTI, carried by ThePrint, reported that 'differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations'. That is the Commission's earlier account. It is not a response that removes anyone.
Not confirmed
- That the Chief Election Commissioner has been removed, or that any authority has ordered his removal. The Congress Working Committee demanded it. There is no removal order.
- That 13 crore 30 lakh is an independent count of deleted names. It is the figure the Congress resolution cites. Hindustan Times reported nearly 130 million, which is not the same wording.
- That the words puppet and vote chori are findings. They are alleged by the Congress. This resolution is also separate from the Supreme Court hearing on the CEC plea.
Sources
- The Hindu https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kharge-demands-modi-resignation-cec-gyanesh-kumar-removal-cwc-meet/article71522992.ece
- Indian Express https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/congress-mallikarjun-kharge-cec-gyanesh-kumar-modi-resignation-demands-sir-cwc-meeting-10898738/
- Hindustan Times https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kharge-scales-up-sir-offensive-at-cwc-attacks-pm-modi-over-votedemonetisation-101790667804387.html
- ThePrint (PTI feed) https://theprint.in/india/cwc-meets-on-sir-row-to-prepare-roadmap-for-ramping-up-pressure-on-cec-govt/3056463/ · 29 Sep 2026, 11:46 AM IST