The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is considering releasing audio recordings of its meetings with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar as the controversy
over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise continues to deepen. According to party sources, the recordings could be made public next week and are intended to show how the Election Commission interacted with political parties during consultations linked to the voter roll revision process. Sources said the move is being considered in the backdrop of mounting questions over the functioning of the poll panel and reports of internal disagreements within the three-member Election Commission. The development comes days after reports claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised at least 14 written objections over the past 10 months regarding key decisions linked to electoral roll management, voter registration systems (Form 6) and the SIR process. The reports alleged that some decisions were taken without the knowledge or participation of the two commissioners. The Election Commission has rejected suggestions of any institutional breakdown. In a statement issued last week, the poll body said that written observations and objections are part of the normal decision-making process and that all decisions are taken in accordance with constitutional and legal provisions. The row has now moved beyond the political arena and reached the Supreme Court. The apex court has agreed to hear a petition challenging the functioning of the Election Commission under CEC Gyanesh Kumar and questioning the legality of decisions allegedly taken unilaterally. The plea cites reported objections raised by Sandhu and Joshi and seeks clarity on whether major decisions can be taken without collective approval of the full commission. The controversy has also triggered a broader opposition mobilisation. Parties in the INDIA bloc are meeting to finalise a joint strategy against the SIR exercise and are expected to raise concerns over the Election Commission's functioning. The SIR exercise itself is a major bone of contention, with opposition parties alleging large-scale irregularities in electoral roll revisions.
