NEW DELHI, October 22 (Aalimi Nation) – Opposition INDIA bloc leaders were set to meet by video conference on Thursday evening to decide the next phase of their campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to sources. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is to chair the meeting, which will review preparations for a bloc rally in Delhi on November 1.
The leaders are expected to discuss a roadmap for protests over what they call "vote chori" and the demand for the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation. The Opposition has also sought accountability from the Election Commission of India, restoration of voters it says were deleted from the rolls, and electoral reforms.
What the INDIA bloc says
The Opposition's central objection is to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which it alleges was carried out with irregularities. It is also pursuing the matter in the Supreme Court.
The campaign has run through October. Early in the month the bloc announced a joint plan that included a "Save Democracy" campaign, a march to the Election Commission headquarters and the November 1 rally.
On October 6, Delhi Police stopped a march by INDIA bloc MPs led by Rahul Gandhi towards Nirvachan Sadan. Police said the march had no permission and cited prohibitory orders. Several leaders, including Mr Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained and later released.
Memorandum, march and court notices
On October 9, a delegation that included Mr Gandhi, Mr Kharge, Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party representatives submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu. It sought the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation, suspension of the SIR, restoration of deleted voters, a return to paper ballots and repeal of the 2023 law that gives the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners immunity.
On October 12, opposition leaders, activists and members of civil society held a "March for Democracy" along a heavily barricaded route in the capital and filed a joint petition against the SIR.
On October 15, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission, Mr Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on petitions challenging aspects of the SIR. The court agreed to examine the Jantar Mantar denotification and directed Delhi Police to preserve CCTV footage of the protests amid allegations of excessive force.
The Election Commission's position
The Election Commission has said it follows established procedures and has defended its role in conducting elections. After the October 6 march, it said it had been informed that a delegation of about 240 MPs wanted to submit a memorandum at the Parliament House Annexe, and called the proposed venue and manner of seeking a meeting "unusual" under its protocol. The Bharatiya Janata Party had not responded to the latest meeting at the time of writing.
The Thursday meeting is also being watched because of speculation that the government may convene Parliament to pass a Constitution Amendment Bill on delimitation, linked to early implementation of the Women's Reservation Act.
The bloc is expected to finalise plans for the November 1 rally and further demonstrations, while the Supreme Court proceedings on the petitions against the SIR continue.
