SRINAGAR, September 26, 2026 – The ongoing autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed noisy scenes and disruptions on Friday as Congress MLAs staged a vigorous protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. As soon as the House proceedings commenced, Congress members, including Nizamuddin Bhat, Irfan Hafiz Lone, and Iftikhar Ahmad, took to their feet and raised loud slogans demanding the immediate resignation and arrest of the CEC. Displaying banners with messages such as “Protect the vote, protect the democracy” and “No democracy without fair elections,” the agitating legislators attempted to storm the well of the House, asserting that the current electoral developments were a direct attack on democratic principles.
The protest inside the Assembly is part of a coordinated nationwide campaign launched by the Congress party following recent media reports indicating deep internal friction within the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to an investigative report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded their objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months regarding decisions and orders issued concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, allegedly without their knowledge. During the commotion in the Assembly, MLA Nizamuddin Bhat repeatedly urged Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to allow the Congress members to formally voice their concerns. However, the Speaker disallowed the protest, explicitly reminding the members that the Election Commission of India is an independent constitutional body and “is not in our control”. After the Speaker warned of strict disciplinary action, the Congress MLAs eventually returned to their seats, allowing the Question Hour to proceed. The demonstration in the Assembly was notably supported by CPI(M) MLA M.Y. Tarigami.
Simultaneously, a massive street protest erupted in Jammu, where scores of Congress leaders and workers attempted to march towards the Election Commission office at the Rail Head Complex. Led by AICC general secretary and J&K in-charge Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, along with senior leaders including former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Raman Bhalla, and Ghulam Ahmed Mir, the protesters clashed with a heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces. The demonstrators burned effigies and raised slogans against the CEC and the central government, accusing them of “Vote Chori” (vote theft) and treason against the nation. Police eventually detained several top Congress leaders to prevent them from gheraoing the ECI premises; they were released after approximately two hours. The ECI has previously responded to the controversy, asserting that differing views are a normal part of institutional deliberations and that all its orders follow established statutory procedures and carry full legal sanction.
Published by True Roots Media Network