AP Congress chief accuses CEC of bias, seeks probe into alleged voter suppression

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President YS Sharmila stages a protest against the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gjanesh Kumar in Vijayawada on Saturday. | Photo credit: GN RAO

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila Reddy on Saturday accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting in favor of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded his resignation.

After attending a protest rally, Ms Sharmila said nearly 13 million votes had been taken across the country, calling the alleged erasure a serious attack on the constitutional right to vote. She alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI), which was constitutionally responsible for conducting free and fair elections, was compromised and was functioning under the influence of the BJP.

Alleging that votes were added or deleted selectively for political purposes, Ms Sharmila alleged that “fake votes” were created when needed and voters were removed when their votes were deemed useless. She said the alleged removal of 13 million votes represented approximately 14% of the country’s electorate.

Describing the CEC as a “BJP worker” and a “Modi agent”, Ms Sharmila alleged that his appointment undermined the independence of the election process. She urged citizens to defend their voting rights.

The Congress leader demanded that the CEC resign or be suspended, followed by an inquiry into its decision. The State Congress president also demanded that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also resign, saying they should be held accountable for the alleged irregularities.

Published – 3 Oct 2026 23:34 IST