New Delhi: A 10-member delegation of the opposition INDIA bloc met President Droupadi Murmu on Friday and submitted a memorandum seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
The delegation, which included Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanded changes to the existing election system.
Opposition Raises Four Key Demands
In its memorandum, the INDIA bloc put forward four major demands concerning the functioning of the Election Commission of India and the electoral process.
The demands included the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the SIR exercise, a return to ballot-paper voting instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and a review of Assembly elections held over the previous two years.
The opposition also raised allegations of voter-list irregularities and sought the restoration of names it claims were wrongly removed from electoral rolls. These remain allegations raised by the opposition.
INDIA Bloc Leaders Stage Protest in Delhi
Before meeting President Murmu, opposition leaders gathered at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi to protest against the Election Commission and demand action against the Chief Election Commissioner.
The leaders also held a meeting at Parliament’s Central Hall to finalise their memorandum before submitting it to the President.
Following the meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan, opposition leaders continued their protest at Vijay Chowk, reiterating their concerns about the electoral process.
Rahul Gandhi Says Opposition Will Approach Supreme Court
After meeting the President, Rahul Gandhi said the opposition would approach the Supreme Court on Monday to present its concerns regarding the electoral process.
Gandhi said President Murmu had asked the delegation to provide evidence supporting its allegations of electoral irregularities. He stated that the opposition was prepared to submit the material it had collected.
The INDIA bloc has argued that changes to electoral-roll revision procedures and the use of EVMs require scrutiny. The Election Commission’s role and the opposition’s allegations have become central to the ongoing political dispute.
BJP Criticises Opposition’s Move
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the INDIA bloc’s campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner.
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said opposition leaders were entitled to meet the President but challenged their criticism of the electoral process. He also defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public support, arguing that election results reflected voters’ choices.
The dispute highlights the continuing differences between opposition parties and the BJP over the Election Commission’s functioning, electoral-roll revision and the use of electronic voting machines.
