Omar, Mehbooba flag differences within ECI, seek course correction

Jammu and KashmirChief MinisterOmar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti expressed their concern on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) over problems with the current electoral process in the country. They were referring to allegations that there were significant differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI). The two Kashmiri leaders have sought an urgent course correction.

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“It opens a lot of questions. We have had persistent complaints about the way in which the ECI has functioned. Before the SIR became an issue for the country, delimitation was an issue for us. The [delimitation] process was opaque and flawed and had been designed to benefit one political party and its supporters,” said Mr. Abdullah, on the controversy over reported differences within the ECI.

Referring to the “dissenting notes” within the EC, Mr. Abdullah said, “These developments required the authorities to examine the functioning of the poll panel and take corrective measures.”

Foundation of democracy

“If people lose trust in elections, then what is left in a democracy? “A democracy’s foundation is elections. The Election Commission and the Government of India should consider the issue, particularly if eligible voters were prevented from exercising their franchise,” said Mr. Abdullah. He further alleged that individuals were being arbitrarily removed from the voter list and even denied passports.

Mr. Abdullah said that, given what we have been shown and the internal divisions within the EC, it clearly indicates daal mein kuchh kala hai (All is not well). “And the statement that they’ve [ECI] issued, it is even more damning,” said Mr. Abdullah. 

Meanwhile, Ms. Mufti said the BJP was “subverting the electoral process by fudging electoral rolls”. “They are trying to subvert the very fundamentals of our nation, which is seen as the largest democracy in the world and which our PM proudly refers to as the mother of democracy, when he is abroad. The two election commissioners have indicated that,” Ms. Mufti said.

She said if the BJP continues the alleged manipulation of the electoral rolls, there is a danger that at some point of time our country “is going to resemble a banana republic”. However, she added, it was a silver lining that India still had people like the two election commissioners who have the courage and integrity to question the people in power.