Rahul Gandhi takes aim at CEC with Sept 26 ECI statement after SC's Form 6 remarks

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday renewed his attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that his decisions were illegal and unilateral and amounted to an abuse of his position, after the Supreme Court said the modified Form 6 to register new voters had not been approved by the court.

Gandhi also shared a recent statement by the Election Commission in which it claimed that the Form 6 used for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) had been upheld by the Supreme Court.

Gandhi, in a social media post, alleged that Kumar had "illegally and unilaterally" altered Form 6, the form used for registering new voters, and accused him of using his position to benefit the BJP. He said the alteration had now been “established beyond doubt" and described it as further evidence of what he called an abuse of the Election Commission chief’s position.

"It is now established beyond doubt that Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 illegally and unilaterally. This is just one more proof of him abusing his position to help the BJP. He and everyone else involved in this criminal assault on our democracy will be held accountable," he said.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission and the Centre on pleas alleging that the three-member panel took several decisions without the approval of the two election commissioners.

The Supreme Court clarified that it had not approved changes to Form 6, and sought records to determine who modified the form and affirmed said it will annul decisions found not to be in accordance with the law.

The court, however, refused to pass any interim direction to restrain Kumar from taking any decision till the final disposal of the petition.

On September 26, rejecting Opposition allegations after an Indian Express report claimed that several decisions by Gyanesh Kumar, including the modification of Form 6, were taken without consulting fellow Election Commissioners, the poll panel said the same form had been approved by the Supreme Court.

"The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. For non-SIR period, the Forms applicable as per Rules (the Registration of Electors Rules 1960) will be used," the Commission had said in a statement, after it was convened amid the report of dissent within the body.

After the Supreme Court's remarks and notice to the Centre, the Congress renewed its attack, accusing the CEC of betraying the Constitution in letter and spirit at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi attacked Gyanesh Kumar, saying that the arbitrary deletion of voters through the SIR was against constitutional mandates and the electoral process.

"It is very clear that these deletions are against everything our Constitution and our election process stand for. We are protesting against that. I think the public has now realised that elections have been manipulated, and we will continue our protest," Gandhi said in response to the remarks by the SC.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court has a remarkable opportunity to restore public confidence in the Election Commission following "damning revelations" regarding its functioning.

"Based on the recent damning revelations regarding (1) the ad-hoc, illegal and slip-shod manner in which the SIR was taking place, (2) criticism from both sitting and retired Judges of the Supreme Court, (3) the vast and indiscriminate (and many obviously incorrect) deletions without adequate due process, the Supreme Court has a remarkable opportunity to restore public confidence in an institution vital to the integrity of our republic," Ramesh said on X.- Ends