Election Commission Fact Checks Rahul Gandhi: Claims On SIR Process And CEC Labeled Misleading

The political atmosphere in the country has intensified as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has come forward to conduct a fact check on the claims made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while rahul Gandhi, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been consistently attacking the Special Institutional Revision (SIR) process and the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. However, the Election Commission has now issued a formal clarification, stating that the statements made by the Congress leader are misleading and don't align with the factual legal standing of the commission's actions.

The Core of the Controversy and Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

For the past several days, Rahul Gandhi has been leveling serious allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding the SIR process. On Monday, he took to social media to express his concerns, claiming that it has been proven beyond doubt that Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 in an illegal and unilateral manner. In his post, Rahul Gandhi alleged that this was further evidence of the misuse of constitutional positions to assist the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He further stated that everyone involved in what he termed a criminal attack on democracy would be held accountable, while to support his claim, he shared a press release from the Election Commission, specifically pointing out the third point which mentioned that the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

The Election Commission's Detailed Fact Check

In response to these high-profile allegations, the Election Commission of India conducted a fact check of the claims made in Rahul Gandhi's post. The commission categorically stated that the statement shared by the Congress leader is misleading. The ECI provided two primary points to clarify the situation. Firstly, it noted that the order issued on June 24 2025 regarding the SIR in Bihar was passed with the unanimous approval of the commission. Also, the Supreme Court of India, in its judgment dated May 27 2026, has already upheld this specific order as valid. Secondly, the ECI referred to its press note number 120 dated September 26 2026, where point 1(iii) clearly states that the declaration form attached to Form 6 for SIR has been validated by the Supreme Court. The commission emphasized that for non-SIR periods, the forms applicable under the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 would continue to be used.

Protests and Legal Proceedings

The dispute surrounding the SIR and the demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has reached the highest levels of the judiciary. The Supreme Court has already issued a notice to the Election Commission regarding this matter, with a hearing scheduled for next week, while on the ground, protests have been ongoing for the last 4 days. On Monday, various organizations, including the NSUI, staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The opposition parties, led by the Congress, are adamant about their demand for the removal of the CEC, alleging that the integrity of the electoral process is at stake.

Congress Party's Strategic Roadmap and Save Democracy March

In light of these developments, the Congress party held a high-level meeting in Delhi attended by Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi. During this meeting, several significant decisions were made to escalate the protest nationwide. The party has decided to launch a Save Democracy March across the country. This campaign will involve bike rallies, cycle rallies, and foot marches (padayatras) aimed at identifying and collecting the names of voters whose names were allegedly removed during the SIR process. This movement will culminate in a massive rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on November 1, which is expected to see participation from various leaders of the INDIA alliance. Also, on November 25 and November 26, a Delhi Yatra will be organized from 6 different locations. As an immediate step, the Congress party has also planned a march from the Parliament to the Election Commission office tomorrow to further register their protest.

Fact Check ❌The statement made in this post is misleading ✅1) The order for SIR in Bihar issued on 24 June 2025 was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission. This order has been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in its judgment dated 27 May 2026 ✅2) In its Press Note No. 120 dated 26 September 2026, in Point 1(iii), ECI has stated that, "The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court." #ECIFactCheck

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) October 5, 2026