UP Congress demands re‑poll in Varanasi, alleges rigging linked to SIR
Varanasi — Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Sunday demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for the cancellation and reconduction of the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Varanasi, alleging that the poll was rigged under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Rai, who contested the 2024 Varanasi seat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and lost by 1,52,513 votes, made the demand while speaking to reporters in Agra.
Rai described Gyanesh Kumar as a "corrupt and dishonest person" and accused him of orchestrating a fraudulent outcome that favoured the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ensured the Prime Minister's victory in the constituency. He also said that elections held during Kumar's tenure should be cancelled and re‑conducted across the state.
"Gyanesh Kumar is a corrupt officer and a dishonest person. He is the one who orchestrated a fraudulent election victory. He ensured (Narendra) Modi's win by rigging the election across the entire state, and he continues to aid the BJP and Modi," Rai said, according to reports.
Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988‑batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Kerala cadre, was appointed an Election Commissioner on March 15, 2024 after retirement and later took charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner on February 19, 2025, according to official records cited in reporting. Rai's allegations centre on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), an exercise that has attracted scrutiny and political controversy in some quarters.
- Ajay Rai demanded Kumar's arrest and cancellation of the 2024 Varanasi Lok Sabha result.
- Rai alleged SIR was used to "steal" votes and favour the BJP across Uttar Pradesh.
- Rai lost the Varanasi seat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by 1,52,513 votes in 2024.
The demand from the UP Congress chief places renewed attention on both the integrity of electoral rolls and the neutrality of election management in a high‑profile constituency. Varanasi, a high‑visibility seat held by the Prime Minister, has been the focus of intense political contestation since 2014, and any assertion of malpractice in this constituency has broader reverberations for state and national politics.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Appointment as Election Commissioner | 15 March 2024 |
| Assumed charge as Chief Election Commissioner | 19 February 2025 |
| 2024 Lok Sabha result (Varanasi) | Rai lost by 1,52,513 votes |
Responses from the Election Commission or Gyanesh Kumar were not included in initial reports. The Election Commission of India has statutory procedures for addressing complaints regarding electoral rolls and conduct, and any alleged irregularities typically trigger formal petitions, inquiries or legal challenges in the courts.
For Varanasi residents, the allegations underscore two immediate stakes: the credibility of the electoral roll maintenance process, including exercises such as SIR, and the institutional independence of the Election Commission. Political parties frequently contest roll revision exercises; however, allegations of deliberate manipulation at the scale suggested by Rai would, if substantiated, require documentary evidence and due‑process adjudication.
The demand for cancellation and re‑poll in Varanasi also raises procedural questions about timelines and legal remedies. Election law provides routes for election petitions to be filed in the appropriate court challenging results; such petitions must be backed by specified grounds and evidence. Administrative action against an incumbent Chief Election Commissioner would be governed by constitutional and statutory safeguards and would involve complex legal thresholds.
Rai's statement adds to ongoing political debate in UP where issues of election management, voter lists and administrative neutrality are recurring themes ahead of state and national electoral cycles. How the Election Commission and the courts respond to these allegations will be closely watched in Varanasi and beyond.
