New Delhi, Sep 23: India on Wednesday categorically rejected what it described as “unwarranted and factually incorrect” references to the country in the Joint Communiqué of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the OIC had “no locus standi” to comment on matters that are strictly internal to India.

“The entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable part of India, and no amount of repetition of politically motivated propaganda can change this reality,” the MEA said.

India also questioned the credibility of the OIC, saying that its repeated endorsement of what New Delhi called “motivated narratives” raised “serious questions” about the organisation.

The statement came after the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir held a ministerial meeting in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to Pakistan’s official account, the Contact Group, comprising Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Niger, reaffirmed the OIC’s longstanding position on Jammu and Kashmir and called for measures concerning the human rights situation and political prisoners in J&K.

Responding to the communiqué, India accused the OIC of providing Pakistan a platform to raise what it termed “fabricated and motivated propaganda”.

“Instead of offering a platform to Pakistan to peddle its fabricated and motivated propaganda, OIC will be better advised to counsel Pakistan, which has a well-documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism, to look inwards and address the continuing threat of terrorism emanating from territories under its control,” the MEA said.

The OIC has repeatedly adopted communiqués on Jammu and Kashmir. Its 2025 Contact Group meeting also resulted in a joint communiqué reaffirming the organisation’s position on the dispute.

India has consistently rejected the OIC’s interventions on Jammu and Kashmir, maintaining that the issue falls within its internal jurisdiction.

Jammu, Sep 23: The Special Operations Group (SOG) Jammu has arrested three alleged members of the Khauf gang from Delhi, including its key member wanted in 13 FIRs.

Officials said that Karanjit Singh alias “Gugga,” son of Arjun Singh, resident of Dablehar, Tehsil R.S. Pura, was apprehended from Delhi. He had 13 FIRs pending against him and is an accused in the Gataroo murder case and several other cases involving attempt to murder, assault, rioting, criminal intimidation and possession of illegal weapons.

Police said Karanjit Singh had earlier escaped from the R.S. Pura Observation Home along with two Pakistani inmates. During the escape, police personnel on duty were allegedly assaulted and injured in firing inside Observation Home. Accordingly, FIR No. 39/2026 was registered at R.S. Pura.

During the same operation, two other alleged associates of the gang were also arrested from Delhi. They have been identified as Naresh Kumar alias “Major,” son of Kamal Kumar, resident of Arnia, who is stated to be a close associate of absconder Sunil Kumar alias “Gokul” and is involved in cases relating to violent assault, rioting and illegal possession of weapons; and Rahul Kumar alias “Sundi,” son of Bishan Dass, resident of Makhanpur, Bishnah, involved in a case relating to alleged smuggling of narcotics into jail premises and booked under NDPS Act and Prisons Act.

Police said arrests are part of ongoing efforts of Jammu Police and SOG to trace absconders and investigate activities of organised criminal networks. Further investigation is underway and additional arrests may follow.(GNS)

New Delhi, Sep 23: Expansive red flags raised by two Election Commissioners within the poll panel over the Special Intensive Revision of voters list triggered a massive political storm on Wednesday, with the Opposition accusing CEC Gyanesh Kumar of indulging in “one-man autocracy” and demanding his removal.

Officials said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had flagged multiple issues, including deletion of names, in various states during the voter roll cleanup but the poll body was unanimous in its decisions related to the pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ list.

The reactions poured in after a report in The Indian Express revealed that questions were raised on issues related to the SIR of electoral rolls within the three-member Election Commission (EC) itself, time and again by two of the three Election Commissioners.

The national rollout of the SIR has been under the supervision of all three Commissioners. But Sandhu and Joshi have formally objected, on record, at least 14 times over the last 10 months — four times on a single day — to decisions taken and orders issued, they say, without their knowledge, the report in the English daily said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared the screenshot of the media report on X.

Ramesh said that on behalf of the party, his colleague Abhishek Singhvi will be speaking in detail to the media on the sensational revelations made in the leading national newspaper on the way “the CEC has destroyed the credibility and integrity of the Election Commission of India”.

Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal said there is no doubt remaining that Kumar has no right to remain in office.

“How the hell can one man, acting on His Master’s orders, strike off names at whim? How can he sideline fellow Constitutional officers to only take blatantly illegal steps that put our democracy in danger?” he said.

“The right to vote is an essential Constitutional power given to every citizen, the fundamental bedrock of our democracy. If it is to be taken away, due process must be followed with utmost probity,” he said.

“Today, when we are staring at crores of genuine voters being excluded and a similar number of bogus voters being added to the rolls, it is clear that Gyanesh Kumar was the Chief Architect of the nationwide ‘Vote Chori’ exercise, with the the Modi top brass pulling the strings,” he alleged.

“We demand Gyanesh Kumar’s immediate removal and a Supreme Court-monitored impartial investigation to expose the rot that has destroyed the ECI’s credibility,” Venugopal said.

If Kumar remains in office, the people of India will come forward and make sure that our democracy is not destroyed by a mere bureaucrat, he added.

Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera lashed out at Kumar, saying he is “planted” and being “protected” by the BJP to hollow out the Election Commission of India from within.

“It was already known that things were not exactly well within the ECI. But just how messy, dysfunctional and, frankly, disturbing things had become is laid bare by this brilliant expose by @IndianExpress,” he said on X.

Kumar has to be the single most sold-out bureaucrat of the Modi era who has disenfranchised crores of Indians, and he must face the law, he alleged.

Congress MP Manish Tewari also reacted to the media report, saying that if the ostensible facts as reported are correct then it seems to suggest that there is an “invisible hand” running the Election Commission.

“If rules were not allegedly followed and decisions were taken that were not unanimous or by majority then all the decisions of @ECISVEEP are per -se arbitrary and capricious if not completely illegal,” Tewari said on X.

“This is perhaps a fit case for serious considering an impeachment proceeding but more importantly the fundamental question is as to how will the credibility of @ECISVEEP be ever resurrected,” he said.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal demanded Kumar’s suspension and filing of an FIR to probe who is behind his actions.

Former chief election commissioner O P Rawat said changes to the statutory voter registration Form 6 are “absolutely wrong and illegal”, while describing revelations of differences within the Election Commission as “very serious” and “unfortunate”.

CPI(M) MP John Brittas said this is no longer an Election Commission, it is a “one-man autocracy” under CEC Kumar.

“Two Election Commissioners have formally objected 14 times in 10 months. They branded the addition of new voters and mass deletion ‘unauthorised and illegal’. They recorded objections to secret deletions, restorations, and form 6 changes that harass young first-time voters – all while being kept in the dark,” he said.

This is the open subversion of the EC and our democracy too, Brittas said.

“Parliament must immediately start the process for the removal of the CEC. We had in fact submitted a notice for removal on 24th April, 2026 as per the constitutional stipulations – solid grounds and around 70 members signing( 50 in the stipulated number),” he said.

The Constitution provides this power for precisely such moments of institutional capture and subversion, he said.

“The Supreme Court must annul the entire SIR process without delay. When two of the three Commissioners put on record that the exercise is illegal and destructive of the electoral roll’s integrity, judicial silence becomes complicity,” Brittas said.

What Kumar is doing is the death knell of a democratic nation, he said.

“Remove the CEC. Strike down the SIR. Or accept that free and fair elections in India are already being buried,” the CPI(M) MP said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also cited the media report, and said “A-Gyanesh Kumar will go to jail! He will have to go! His masters will flee the country and run away!”

TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien said on X, “Five months ago, 60+ Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar. After big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC’s actions, it’s time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy”.

New Delhi, Sep 23: Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had flagged multiple issues, including deletion of names, in various states during the voter roll cleanup but the poll body was unanimous in its decisions related to the pan-India Special Intensive Revision of voters’ list, officials said on Wednesday.

The officials made the remarks in the wake of a media report that the two Election Commissioners had objected to the Election Commission’s steps 14 times in 10 months amid the SIR.

Responding to queries, the officials said the two commissioners had flagged decisions related to deletion of names in various states during the poll roll cleanup and handling of voter database.

EC sources maintained that all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including SIR, have been unanimous and with the approval of both the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.

Officials said the law governing the functioning of the Election Commission and a Supreme Court judgment underline that as much as possible, decisions should be taken unanimously and if need be, majority view should prevail.

The Indian Express reported that questions were raised on issues related to the SIR of electoral rolls within the three-member Election Commission (EC) itself, time and again by two of the three Election Commissioners, Sandhu and Joshi.

The national rollout of the SIR has been under the supervision of all three Commissioners. But Sandhu and Joshi have formally objected, on record, at least 14 times over the last 10 months — four times on a single day — to decisions taken and orders issued, they say, without their knowledge, the report in the English daily said.

Opposition parties have slammed the EC over the SIR, claiming it was meant to target electors not aligned to the BJP and its allies.