Chief Rajiv Kumar retiring: Looking back at his tumultuous tenure

“Aarop aur iljamat ka daur chalein, koi gila nahin,

Jhooth ke gubbare ko bulandi milein, koi shikwa nahin,

Har parinam mein pramaan detein hain.

Par wo bina saboot shaq ki nayi duniya rounak kartein hain

Aur shaq ka ilaaj to hakeem luqmaan ke paas bhi nahin?”

(I have no complaints in this era of blame game and allegations, neither will I object to balloons of lies flying high. We keep giving proof during every result but they keep lighting a new world of doubts without any evidence. And there’s no cure for doubts — neither with a wise man nor a physician.)

Known for his impromptu poetic flair, outgoing Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar recited these Urdu verses last month while announcing the schedule of the Delhi Assembly elections, the last he led as the poll panel chief.

These couplets were aimed at cleverly countering the Opposition parties’ allegations questioning EVMs and the electoral process in India. The charges of poll process manipulation have marred a better part of his tenure in the poll panel.

Also read: Delhi election | 'Don't put democracy in peril for post-retirement job': Kejriwal to CEC

Kumar was appointed an Election Commissioner in September 2020 and would be retiring on February 18 after completing 65 years of age. He was chosen as the Chief Election Commissioner in May 2022 and February 5 Delhi Assembly polls were the last elections he led.

Eventful tenure

The last one year of Kumar’s tenure had been quite eventful. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha poll results, the Congress had raised questions over the big difference between the real-time voter turnout data and the final figures released by the Election Commission and said voters are worried about the “strange goings-on” in the poll body. Other opposition parties had also questioned the delay in releasing the final voter turnout.

However, the CEC claimed that the counting mechanism is robust and the process is codified so that nothing can go wrong. Kumar also hit out at those questioning the delay in releasing the final voter turnout during the seven-phase general elections. He clarified that the narrative of voter turnout increasing after 5 pm is “misconceived”.

Prior to the Lok Sabha polls, the EC led by Rajiv Kumar was in the eye of a storm due to its alleged reluctance to meet the Opposition parties regarding the use of 100% VVPAT slips and EVMs. Kumar also came under fire from his predecessors who found it “unacceptable and unpardonable”. “Why are they not giving an appointment? It is their job to meet the Opposition and hear them out,” said former CEC SY Quraishi.

Haryana, Maharashtra polls

Later, following the Haryana Assembly elections results, the Congress had alleged EVM tampering, claiming that machines with varying battery strength gave out different results. “Leave alone EVMs, even batteries (installed) have signatures of candidates. Even we were not aware (of this rule) as it was framed long back. Now it is helping us,” said the CEC, responding to a series of questions on the reliability of the machines and concerns flagged on battery.

Also read: More than 4.5 crore VVPAT slips counted, no discrepancy found: CEC Rajiv Kumar

Subsequently, the Opposition parties also questioned the Maharashtra Assembly polls verdict, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that there are more voters in Maharashtra than the state’s total population. In reply, the poll panel said it will respond with full facts in writing to the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha's claim.

Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress' Maharashtra allies – Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) – claimed that a total of 39 lakh voters were added between Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections to boost the BJP's tally.

In a post on X, the Election Commission said it will respond with full facts in writing. “ECI considers political parties, as priority stake holders, of course the voters being the prime and deeply values views, suggestions, questions coming from political parties,” the post read.

Tweaking rules

The ECI was again on the Opposition’s target in December last year, this time for tweaking some rules to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV cameras and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates in a bid to curb their misuse. The Congress attributed the changes in rules to “the rapidly eroding integrity of the electoral process managed by the Election Commission”.

However, the law ministry and EC officials separately explained that a court case was the “trigger” behind the amendment. EC functionaries said the misuse of CCTV camera footage from inside polling booths could compromise voter secrecy. They also said the footage could be used to generate fake narratives using AI.

“All such material is available to candidates, including footage. After the amendment, too, it will be available to them. But other people can always approach the courts to get such electronic records,” said another functionary.

Also read: After EVM hacking claims, new battery questions arise: CEC asks what's next

CEC defends EVMs

The CEC has time and again rejected allegations of EVM tampering while terming them as “baseless”. He cited that even courts have ruled on 42 occasions that EVMs are not hackable.

“There is no evidence of unreliability or any drawback in the EVM... There is no question of introducing a virus or bug in the EVM. There is no question of invalid votes in the EVM. No rigging is possible. High courts and the Supreme Court are continuously saying this in different judgements... What else can be said? EVMs are fool-proof devices for counting. Allegations of tampering are baseless. We are speaking now because we don't speak when elections are on,” Kumar said last month while announcing the schedule of the Delhi Assembly polls.

“India is gold standard of elections” added Kumar, as he drew a close to his last press conference as the Chief Election Commissioner.

High points of tenure

After assuming the role of Chief Election Commissioner, Kumar oversaw the successful conduct of the 16th presidential and vice-presidential Elections in 2022.

Over the past almost two and a half years, under his stewardship, apart from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Assembly polls were conducted across states like Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. His tenure also witnessed Assembly polls to UTs of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.

Also read: CEC slams Opposition for spreading ‘mischievous narratives’ about EC, polls

The retirement plan

Kumar recently revealed his intention to “detoxify” himself and spend several months in solitude in the Himalayas post his retirement.

Responding to a question while addressing a presser to announce the Delhi Assembly elections, he shared his post-retirement plans with an introspective touch. “I will detoxify myself for the next four-five months, go to the deep Himalayas, be away from the glare of all of you. I need some 'ekant' (solitude) and 'swadhyay' (self-study),” Kumar, who is set to retire on February 18, said.

Kumar, a 1984-batch IAS officer from the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre, also shared a personal aspiration to give back to society by teaching underprivileged children. He recounted his humble beginnings, studying in a municipal school where classes were held under a tree.