Supreme Court Notices Election Commission Fallout After Gahlot’s Allegations

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission and the Union government after a series of petitions sought to review the commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The court declined to grant an interim order to suspend Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, opting instead to await responses from the concerned authorities.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gahlot seized the opportunity to call for the CEC’s immediate resignation, accusing the commission of compromising its impartiality. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for swift action, suggesting that only a resignation could defuse the mounting controversy.

Gahlot also referenced Rahul Gandhi’s earlier accusations of irregularities in the election process, noting that those concerns were largely dismissed. He criticized the CEC’s confrontational communication style with opposition parties, urging that the head of the election body should treat every political party with due respect.

“The court’s notice has highlighted the seriousness of the issue,” Gahlot asserted. “If the Centre does not ensure the CEC’s departure, the trust placed in our democratic institutions will continue to erode.”