BJP accuses Congress of trying to create ‘anarchy’ over ECI protest

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc of attempting to create political instability by targeting the Election Commission of India (ECI), as the Opposition prepared to march to the poll panel’s headquarters demanding accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Sambit Patra described the Opposition’s protest as a “sponsored” attack on constitutional institutions and alleged that the campaign was aimed at strengthening Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s political position.

“A sponsored attempt is being made by the Opposition, especially the Congress, to bring about a change of power in the country, and Rahul Gandhi be made to sit in power just like that. To do this, a blow to India's democracy is being hurled at Constitutional bodies in a sponsored manner,” Patra said.

He alleged that the Congress had been trying for years to politically promote Gandhi and was now attempting to use the controversy surrounding the Election Commission to do so.

Patra also accused the Opposition of seeking to “create an atmosphere of anarchy” through Tuesday’s protest, while saying that the BJP wanted to present its version of the dispute before the public.

“We have been hearing about the so-called rally and march. Before their rally takes place, it is our responsibility as a political party to accurately place the issue before the people of the country and explain what is happening in the Election Commission and what is happening in the entire matter before the Supreme Court,” he said.

A major point of contention between the BJP and Congress is the controversy surrounding Form 6, the statutory application used for registering new voters, and an additional declaration linked to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Election Commission has maintained that Form 6 itself was not amended and that the additional declaration was linked to the SIR process. However, the Supreme Court on Monday clarified that it had not approved any modified version of Form 6 and sought the ECI’s records to establish whether any change was made and, if so, who authorised it.

Patra said the Opposition had created “misconceptions and fake news” around the issue and referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s post on X, in which Gandhi had raised questions over the Election Commission’s handling of Form 6.

The BJP spokesperson listed four claims he attributed to Gandhi: that Form 6 had been changed illegally, that it had been changed unilaterally, that the Election Commission was trying to benefit the BJP, and that the poll panel had carried out a “criminal assault” on Indian democracy.

Patra rejected these allegations and said the Election Commission had already issued a clarification. The ECI has said the SIR order was approved unanimously and that the declaration attached to Form 6 had been upheld in the context of the SIR process.

At the same time, the Supreme Court’s latest observation has added a new dimension to the dispute. Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court had not approved any modification to Form 6 and indicated that it wanted to examine the records before determining how the disputed version came about.

Patra argued that the court had not declared Form 6 illegal and that the matter was still under examination.

“The Supreme Court said that it had not issued any order approving any modification to Form 6. It said that when the matter comes on record, the court will see whether any modification was made,” he said.

He also challenged the Congress allegation that the Election Commission was acting to benefit the BJP, pointing out that Gyanesh Kumar became Chief Election Commissioner only in February 2025, after the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections had already taken place.

Patra further questioned whether similar concerns would be raised about former Chief Election Commissioner V.K. Sampath, who was appointed in 2012 and oversaw the 2014 Lok Sabha election, after which the BJP formed the government at the Centre.

The BJP’s counterattack came as INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament towards the ECI headquarters in New Delhi, demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The Opposition has alleged that the Election Commission’s actions have compromised the electoral process, while the BJP and the ECI have rejected those allegations. The Supreme Court is separately examining the legal and procedural questions surrounding the disputed Form 6 changes.