CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Chhattisgarh Visit Postponed Amid SIR Row, Massive Opposition Uproar

The Election Commission of India has postponed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's planned trip to Chhattisgarh, scheduled for October 7 and 8, 2026. This decision follows a surge of criticism surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the detention of four migrant workers from West Bengal. The postponement was announced on October 6 due to "unavoidable reasons." The revised dates will be announced later by the Election Commission.

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, reacted strongly to the news, staging a massive protest in Delhi streets and marching to the Election Commission's office. Despite being stopped before reaching the office, around 250 protesters were detained at Akashvani Bhawan, including Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi. The Chief Electoral Officer had intended to grant Kumar the status of a State Guest for the visit, with protocol arrangements in place.

The visit was to include meetings at Danteshwari temple in Dantewada, Bhoramdeo in Kabirdham, and the Chitrakoot waterfall in Bastar. Meanwhile, the SIR exercise has been under scrutiny due to the detention of the four migrant workers from Murshidabad, West Bengal. These men, Sabir Sheikh, Safikul Islam, Nasiruddin Sheikh, and Laltu Sheikh, have been held in Raipur for over a month, suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals.

They were among 23 migrant workers who arrived in Chhattisgarh in late August to find employment, selling goods door-to-door in Bilaspur. Chhattisgarh police detained all 23 on September 4 and transferred them to Raipur, where 19 were eventually released on September 18 after a local court order, while the four remained detained.

The families of the four men have filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court, challenging their continued detention, arguing that their names were deleted from the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise and their appeals are still pending. The case has also drawn criticism from the Calcutta High Court, questioning the authority's approach and the role of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).