New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday stepped up his attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that questions raised by the Opposition over the fairness of elections were now being echoed from within the Election Commission itself.

"For several years now, the Congress Party and many opposition parties have been raising questions about the fairness of elections held in the country. We have consistently viewed the role of the Election Commission with suspicion. When we raised questions, they were dismissed as a joke. The doors of the Commission were shut. Today, the same issue has come to light from within the Election Commission itself. Two out of three Election Commissioners objected in writing 14 times. Misuse of Form 6, misuse of software, tampering with voter lists, decisions without transparency—these are all now out in the open before the country," Kharge said in a post on X.

Kharge's remarks came after a report in The Indian Express claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions related to the revision of electoral rolls.

He questioned what action CEC Gyanesh Kumar had taken in response to the objections.

"Then what did CEC Gyanesh Kumar do about these objections? In the first three phases of SIR, 13.8 crore names have been removed from the draft electoral rolls of 31 states and Union Territories. The Vote Chori and SIR that Shri Rahul Gandhi has been consistently exposing before the country—today those questions are proving to be correct. This is tampering with democracy," Kharge said.

The Congress president also referred to a notice submitted by Opposition MPs seeking Kumar's removal.

"On 24 April 2026, 73 opposition Rajya Sabha MPs had submitted a new Notice of Motion to the Secretary General to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Monsoon Session of Parliament has not yet been prorogued. Will the Hon'ble Rajya Sabha Chairman now take a decision on that pending Notice?" he said.

Kharge said the controversy raised questions beyond alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.

"Today, the question is not just about Vote Chori. The question is about the government's takeover of India's democracy and its institutions. It is about their independence and impartiality. These documents emerging from within the Election Commission raise extremely serious questions about the role of the Modi government and BJP-RSS," he said.

"Prime Minister Modi will have to answer. Those plotting to snatch democracy from the people of India will be given a befitting reply," Kharge added.