After Chirag Paswan, NDA Ally Upendra Kushwaha Seeks ECI Clarification On SIR Row

Amid the ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and questions surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, NDA ally Upendra Kushwaha on Friday called for an immediate clarification from the Election Commission to clear what he described as “confusion” among the public.

In a post on X on September 25, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Kushwaha said the controversy surrounding SIR had created considerable confusion among people and needed to be addressed. He said the Election Commission should immediately clarify the actual position so that the confusion could be removed.

Kushwaha’s remarks came a day after he had initially declined to comment on the controversy when questioned by reporters in Patna. He had then said the issue concerned the Election Commission and that differences of opinion were not unusual, noting that disagreements could occur between individuals.

The latest statement comes days after reports highlighted objections allegedly raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over aspects of the poll panel’s functioning, including matters related to electoral rolls and the SIR exercise. The Election Commission has said that differences of opinion and internal notes are a normal part of deliberations in a multi-member constitutional body and maintained that its final decisions were taken unanimously.

Kushwaha’s demand follows similar remarks by Union Minister and NDA ally Chirag Paswan. On Friday, Paswan said that if questions were being raised against the Election Commission, it was the poll panel’s responsibility to firmly present its position. He stressed that the issue was not about responding to the Opposition but about maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.

“If questions are being raised on the Election Commission, responsibility lies with the CEC to present his stance clearly,” Paswan said, adding that it would be problematic if people began doubting the electoral process.

Both Kushwaha and Paswan are allies of the BJP-led NDA in Bihar. Their comments come amid a wider political debate over the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission, with Opposition parties also raising questions over the process.

The Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that differences recorded internally amounted to a breakdown in its functioning, saying that discussions and differing views are part of the decision-making process.