TMC said on Tuesday it will make audio recordings of its meetings with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar public next week. The release aims to expose how the Commission consulted parties during the controversial Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls. Sources say the tapes could reveal the Commission’s interactions with political parties, amid mounting questions over its functioning.
The move follows claims that Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi lodged 14 written objections in the last ten months over key roll‑management decisions, including Form 6 registration systems. Sandhu and Joshi alleged some decisions were taken without their participation, a claim the Election Commission has denied, stating that objections are part of normal decision‑making and that all actions comply with constitutional provisions.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition challenging the Commission’s unilateral decisions under CEC Kumar, questioning whether major actions can be taken without full‑commission approval. The petition cites the 14 objections and seeks clarity on the legality of the Commission’s conduct, potentially forcing a review of the SIR process.
Opposition parties in the INDIA bloc are convening to craft a joint strategy against the SIR exercise, as irregularities in roll revisions have sparked widespread protests. In the village of Jhajjar, a 72‑year‑old farmer who saw his name removed from the roll says the new recordings could vindicate citizens’ concerns. The next week, the Court will hear the case, while TMC prepares to drop the tapes into the public domain.