Supreme Court Issues Notice on Plea Challenging CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Appointment
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar faces calls for resignation and legal challenges to his appointment and actions. A Supreme Court petition filed on October 8, 2026, by Suri Payala, questions the appointments of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, alleging non-adherence to the 2023 Act. Opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi, have protested, alleging "vote theft" and irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, claiming 130 million voters were deleted. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Election Commission and the Central government but declined to suspend Kumar.
19 paksh34 articles
What Happened
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is facing calls for his resignation and legal challenges to his appointment and actions. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court of India on October 8, 2026, by Suri Payala, challenging the appointments of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. The petition alleges that their appointments did not adhere to the procedures outlined in the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, specifically claiming that a panel of five names was not prepared for each vacancy as required by Section 6 of the Act.
Separately, opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, have staged protests in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. These protests, which included a march to the Supreme Court on October 12, 2026, are centered on allegations of "vote chori" and irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Election Commission and the Central government regarding the challenge to the appointments and the SIR row, but declined to issue an interim order to suspend CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Key Facts
- A petition was filed in the Supreme Court of India on October 8, 2026, challenging the appointments of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.The Times of India
- The petition alleges that the appointments did not adhere to the procedures outlined in the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.Uttarbanga Sambad
- Opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, have demanded Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.Hindustan TimesThe Hindu
- Protests included a march to the Supreme Court on October 12, 2026.From research
- The opposition claims that around 130 million voters have been deleted from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.From research
- The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Election Commission and the Central government regarding the challenge to the appointments and the SIR row.MintDoolnewsIndia Today
- The Supreme Court declined to issue an interim order to suspend CEC Gyanesh Kumar.MintSambadIndia TodayMintAsomiya Pratidin
The Timeline34
Every article on this story, in the order it was filed. We do not rank the outlets. Headlines filed in other languages are machine-translated.
25 Sept
28 Sept
29 Sept
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5 Oct
- TOIThe Times of India'Want to see who modified Form 6': SC refuses to pass interim order to suspend CEC
- APAsomiya PratidinApplication for suspension rejectedনিলম্বনৰ আবেদন খাৰিজ…
6 Oct
- NaNamasthe TelanganaRahul Gandhi: Gyanesh, it's done, broRahul Gandhi: జ్ఞానేశ్, ఇట్స్ డన్, బ్రో
7 Oct
8 Oct
- TOIThe Times of IndiaPlea in SC challenges appointment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, two election commissioners
10 Oct
12 Oct
- ETThe Economic TimesRaGa warns Gyanesh Kumar over his future as CEC
13 Oct
Coverage widthMeasured across 19 newsrooms
Newsrooms led with noticeably different aspects of this. Distance between the headlines newsrooms led with on this story. It measures headlines, not the reporting beneath them.
The two furthest apart
- DoDoolnewsGyanesh Kumar will go, this government will also go; democracy will be restored: Rahul Gandhiഗ്യാനേഷ് കുമാര് പോവും, ഈ സര്ക്കാരും പോവും; ജനാധിപത്യം പുനസ്ഥാപിക്കപ്പെടും: രാഹുല് ഗാന്ധി
- UjAmar UjalaPetition in Supreme Court on CEC Gyanesh Kumar's decisions: These questions raised including changes in Form-6; What is the matter?सीईसी ज्ञानेश कुमार के फैसलों पर सुप्रीम कोर्ट में याचिका: फॉर्म-6 में बदलाव समेत उठे ये सवाल; क्या है मामला?
CoverageWhat we read
Language reach
Dailies carrying this story, against the dailies we read in each language.
- English7 of 9
- Hindiहिन्दी2 of 2
- Bengaliবাংলা1 of 2
- Teluguతెలుగు1 of 2
- Tamilதமிழ்2 of 2
- Gujaratiગુજરાતી1 of 1
- Urduاردو1 of 2
- Kannadaಕನ್ನಡ1 of 1
- Odiaଓଡ଼ିଆ1 of 2
- Malayalamമലയാളം1 of 2
- Assameseঅসমীয়া1 of 1
Regional reach
Where this story reached, and where it did not. National mastheads and wire agencies circulate everywhere and are counted separately, not drawn on the map.
- None carried this
- No source registered
- 1 outlet
- 2 or more
- NorthCarried2 of 4
- WestCarried3 of 5
- Central IndiaCarried1 of 1
- EastCarried2 of 5
- North-eastCarried2 of 2
- SouthCarried6 of 10
23 of the 26 states we read have local coverage. Spread across the country, with no regional concentration. Also carried by 7 national mastheads.
About This Analysis
One summary, built from every source. No single newsroom's voice.
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Paksh: the sides a story is told from. 19 newsrooms filed on this one, and every filing is listed above.