ThePrint ThePrintPod: 'CEC Gyanesh Kumar is a constitutional failure. Damage is not procedural, it is existential'
Mar 27, 2026
Sagarika Ghose, columnist and political commentator, critiques the Chief Election Commissioner's conduct and its toll on democratic norms. She highlights sudden administrative purges, alleged bias in election enforcement, rushed voter revision drives, and erosion of public trust. The discussion centers on constitutional limits, perceived partisanship, and why she believes removal is necessary.
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4am Purge Signalled Centralized Coercion
- The Election Commission's 4am purge in West Bengal signaled centralized coercive power rather than neutral administration.
- Five top state officials were removed pre-notification at 4am and over 50 senior officials were later transferred, creating the perception of targeted disciplinary action.
Article 324 Is Not Unfettered Power
- Judicial precedents limit Article 324 powers by requiring constitutional morality, federal balance and recorded reasoning.
- Sagarika Ghose cites PUCL, ADR and Anup Baranwal cases to argue EC actions must meet necessity and proportionality tests.
SIR Turned Voter Revision Into Suspicion
- The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was rushed and shifted burden onto citizens, turning revision into an exercise of suspicion.
- Voters including public figures were placed on adjudication lists and elderly voters were forced to travel long distances for hearings.