The Albany Gazette - Why India's opposition wants top poll official out

According to an Indian Express report last week, some key decisions linked to the contentious revision exercise were likely taken without the approval of two of the three election commissioners.

The ECI, a constitutional body, has rejected the allegations, saying all its decisions were unanimous and legally valid.

Opposition parties have long raised doubts about the nationwide revision, which has seen millions of names removed from voter rolls, saying it benefits Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party.

Here is a rundown of the major issues at stake:

- What is the controversy? -

The English-language daily reported that the poll body had been riven by internal disagreements since the so-called Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter lists started last year.

It said two of the ECI's three commissioners formally lodged objections at least 14 times in the last 10 months over key SIR decisions that led to the omission of 130 million voters.

Under India's constitution, decisions by the three-member poll body should be taken by consensus or a majority.

- Why has the SIR caused a stir? -

The ECI says the SIR exercise is intended to identify fraudulently registered voters while ensuring those who are eligible remain on the rolls.

It also says the exercise aims to prevent "foreign illegal immigrants" from voting.

But critics say the drive has disproportionately affected marginalised and minority communities.

Members of Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have long alleged that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India's electoral rolls.

- What does the ECI say? -

The ECI has denied the central allegation that decisions were taken unilaterally by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

"All these decisions are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full Commission in the past one year," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The allegations reported by The Indian Express presented "only one part of the picture", and "differing views" were a routine "part of decision-making", it added.

The ECI has not publicly explained who authorised the specific orders that the two commissioners had challenged.

- What happens next? -

Opposition parties are demanding Kumar's resignation and a Supreme Court-led investigation into the matter.

They are also seeking an independent probe into the Election Commission's functioning as well as the voter-roll revision.

"If decisions relating to the SIR were taken without the knowledge or approval of two of the three Election Commissioners... then those decisions and the entire SIR exercise are legally invalid," Pawan Khera of the main opposition Congress party said on social media.

"Gyanesh Kumar has done nothing short of treason."

The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party has also threatened to hit the streets from October 2 -- the birth anniversary of India's founding father Mahatma Gandhi -- if Kumar does not resign.

The online movement, which has millions of followers on social media, forced education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign in July, following widespread student-led street protests.

(W.Walker--TAG)