Congress has reignited the political battle over voter enrolment by invoking Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 electoral reform and drawing a sharp contrast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the registration of young voters. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh recalled that Parliament amended Article 326 in December 1988, reducing the minimum voting age from 21 to 18, and described the move as one that empowered India’s youth. The fresh attack comes amid the controversy surrounding the revision of electoral rolls and the enrolment of newly eligible 18-year-old voters. Ramesh has described the dispute as a “tale of two PMs”, contrasting Rajiv Gandhi’s decision to lower the voting age with what Congress alleges is an attempt to prevent newly eligible voters from entering the electoral rolls. Congress has also escalated its broader criticism of the Election Commission over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision, while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of a “diabolical design” against voters.

A fresh political storm has erupted around Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after a report revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months on decisions linked to electoral-roll management and the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR. The Opposition is now preparing a fresh impeachment notice against Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament, with INDIA bloc parties working together on the move.