The political controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has intensified after Aam Aadmi Party convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Kejriwal made the demand while responding to a report that referred to objections allegedly recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi during the past 10 months. According to the report, the objections were related to several decisions and procedures concerning electoral rolls, voter data and the SIR exercise. 

During a press conference, Kejriwal alleged that certain orders were issued without the formal approval of the full Election Commission. He questioned the manner in which decisions were being taken within the three-member poll panel and argued that decisions concerning the Election Commission should be taken through the commission's established process.

Kejriwal also demanded that changes made under the SIR process be cancelled and that the earlier voter list be restored. He further called for the cancellation and re-conduct of elections held in Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh in recent years. These are political demands made by Kejriwal and would be subject to the applicable constitutional and legal processes.

The controversy gained further attention after reports cited objections allegedly raised by the two Election Commissioners. The reported issues included changes to Form 6, centralisation of electoral data and software controls, appeals concerning deletion of voters in West Bengal and the failure to add certain eligible voters to electoral rolls in Goa. 

The report also referred to objections concerning changes associated with Form 6 and the SIR process. According to the report, Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi had raised concerns over the manner in which changes were being introduced, while Sukhbir Singh Sandhu also recorded objections in connection with the process.

The Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that the reported objections reflected a breakdown in decision-making within the poll panel. According to the Commission, all decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. 

The Commission has also explained that Election Commissioners can raise questions or express their views during discussions. In a three-member commission, all members have an equal say, and where disagreement exists, decisions are taken according to the applicable majority process. 

The dispute has therefore brought renewed attention to the functioning of the Election Commission, the process of revising electoral rolls and the safeguards surrounding changes in voter records. Opposition leaders have questioned the transparency of the process, while the Election Commission has maintained that its decisions, including those related to SIR, received the approval of all three commissioners.