P. Pawan · ECI Files · Neta·Resume

25 Sep 2026CLAIMCLAIMSNOT YET CHECKED

BJP's Gaurav Bhatia: majority decisions are lawful; Congress lacks standing

In an op-ed, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia argued that Section 18 of the 2023 Act and the 1995 T N Seshan ruling make majority decisions binding, so internal dissent does not undermine the Commission, and cited the Navin Chawla and M S Gill episodes against the Congress.

Attributed to Gaurav Bhatia, BJP national spokesperson

The investigation's charge is that decisions were taken without the majority's knowledge, not that the majority overruled the CEC; the op-ed does not address that point directly.

CHARGE AND ANSWER

Charge: This entry

Responses: No response on record.

What the record shows: Section 18: unanimity where possible, majority otherwise; work split only unanimously

Section 18 of the 2023 Act: allocation of work only by unanimous decision; other business unanimously as far as possible, otherwise by majority.

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SOURCES

TIER 3 · PRESSDissent is not dysfunction, institutions need itThe Indian Express2026-09-25

Objections and decisions