India’s Election Commission orders a review of voter-roll changes and related software after internal concerns and media reports raise questions about whether voter lists were improperly updated. The review is triggered by reports that election commissioners questioned Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over changes that allegedly excluded millions of voters.
According to reporting cited by multiple outlets, opposition parties claim the updates were manipulated to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission says differences in how officials handle processes are normal within institutions and that its actions are lawful. One report says two election commissioners raised questions or concerns about the voter-list updating process repeatedly over the past year.
The commission says it is forming a committee led by a senior election official, including an independent technology expert, to assess whether the software and procedures comply with election laws. It also says local officials will visit voters flagged for discrepancies rather than requiring them to appear at government offices. Opposition parties and a youth-led group demand Kumar’s resignation and threaten protests if he does not step down.
