Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing an INDIA bloc rally in New Delhi on Sunday, launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission and the BJP government, alleging "vote chori" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He asserted that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would be removed and jailed for "treason," and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah would face legal action. Gandhi claimed 13.5 crore voters were removed from electoral rolls, making the 2024 elections "illegal." The BJP, in response, accused Gandhi of creating anarchy and having a "dual mentality" regarding democratic outcomes.
The Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that over 37 lakh appeals concerning deletions or inclusions in West Bengal's electoral rolls remain pending under the Special Intensive Revision. The apex court-appointed tribunals have disposed of only a fraction of the 38.20 lakh appeals filed, prompting the Supreme Court to seek data and a plan for streamlining the adjudication process.
Delhi Police has denied permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, leading to the closure of 11 metro stations and heightened security. Various political parties and student unions are demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging he has 'undermined' voter rights by excluding over 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union territories during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The Bombay High Court's Goa bench has ruled that draft electoral rolls cannot be the sole basis for deleting names from voter lists, asserting that administrative software cannot supersede statutory laws. The court questioned the Election Commission of India's authority to delete voters without a hearing, highlighting concerns over the ERONET system's limitations and its potential to disenfranchise citizens.
The INDIA bloc is escalating its protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, planning further actions and seeking an urgent meeting with President Droupadi Murmu.
When it pretends to be deaf, a situation can snowball into something it cannot contain. The government cannot dismiss public anger merely because protests are inconvenient or politically embarrassing, asserts Ramesh Menon.
Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has strongly criticised the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, labelling it an 'unfair procedure' despite its legal standing, raising concerns about mass voter deletions and the erosion of democratic trust.
'The Election Commission cannot be regulated by the government.'
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction has announced Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury as its candidates for the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly by-elections in West Bengal. This announcement comes amidst a significant split within the TMC, with a rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee also vying for control of the party's name and symbol. The Election Commission is currently deliberating on the claims of both factions, a decision that will critically impact the by-polls scheduled for October 6.
The Congress party has launched nationwide protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his removal. Accusing him of acting in favour of the BJP and citing alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions (SIR), party workers burned effigies and clashed with police. Opposition parties plan further action, including a meeting of the INDIA bloc to strategize for his ouster.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea on Sunday seeking contempt proceedings against authorities for allegedly violating its directive against a complete prohibition on metro and train services in Delhi during the CJP protest. The plea argues that the blanket shutdown and lack of transparent advisories constitute a deliberate disregard for the court's October 9 order, which had called for regulation rather than outright prohibition of public transport.
Unless the Congress stops seeing a CIA and RSS in everyone who disagrees with it, many well-meaning people will find it difficult to rub shoulders with Rahul Gandhi, notes M R Narayan Swamy.
Opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, plan to march to the Supreme Court on Monday to meet the Chief Justice of India. They aim to submit a memorandum regarding alleged 'vote chori' and demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, halting of SIR, and a return to paper ballots. The protest follows widespread detentions during previous demonstrations, which the opposition condemns as an assault on democracy.
The Cockroach Janta Party has pledged to continue its protests, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Supreme Court on Sunday directed that people gathering peacefully should not be illegally detained and issued a notice to the Centre regarding alleged violations of its earlier order during a CJP protest in Delhi. The court also asked the Solicitor General to ensure normal metro services and no internet disruption, while addressing concerns about widespread detentions and transport closures.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting as a 'weapon' for the ruling BJP, while MNS leader Raj Thackeray demanded the cancellation of Maharashtra's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, amidst a large protest march in Mumbai.
The INDIA bloc has formulated a joint action plan to address the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row and concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Following a meeting of key opposition leaders, the alliance announced a series of "save democracy" marches, demonstrations, and a march to the Election Commission, demanding a return to ballot papers for elections and alleging electoral malpractices by the ruling government.
Opposition leaders from CPI-M and AAP faced detention in Delhi and Chandigarh while protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over serious allegations of voter-list manipulation and suppression of democratic rights.
The Election Commission has extended the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi, Punjab, Telangana, and Karnataka, along with Haryana and Andhra Pradesh. This revision involves house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers and changes to draft and final roll publication dates, impacting the voter registration process across multiple states.
The Election Commission of India has told the Delhi high court that two voters, whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls after they could not complete the enumeration process during the Special Intensive Revision in the national capital, can fill Form 6 for redressal of their grievance.
Modi's greater weakness is his inability since July when he directed the exit of Dharmendra Pradhan, to come up with a political counter strategy. Security measures and executive orders as seen in recent days will only likely further weaken him and make him as lame duck a premier as many prior to him, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh included, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The Opposition India bloc has threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This move comes as the Opposition plans a joint agitation and highlights the constitutional process for removing a CEC, which mirrors that of a Supreme Court judge.
Delhi's draft electoral roll has been published, showing 47.7 lakh voters excluded. Those omitted can file claims until September 30, with the final roll due on November 4. The exclusion follows a Special Intensive Revision exercise where many electors were categorised as "uncollectable."
Padma Shri awardee Harekal Hajabba has received an election notice due to a name mismatch in the electoral rolls. While his official documents identify him as "Harekal Hajabba," the 2002 electoral roll listed him simply as "Hajabba." He is confident the issue will be resolved after presenting his documents to local authorities.
The Delhi poll body has issued notices to several prominent voters, including Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, for discrepancies in their enumeration forms during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. While Gupta's entry has been validated, millions of other voters, including other political figures, have received notices for issues like age-related mismatches or being unmapped with previous SIR records, requiring them to submit documents by October 29.
All India Students' Association (AISA) President Neha Bora has approached the Delhi High Court challenging a Delhi Police notice requiring her to execute a bond for "keeping peace" under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Bora, who was previously detained, argues the notice is vague and an attempt to suppress peaceful dissent.
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday said that he and his associates would continue their efforts despite what he described as illegal arrests and detentions.
Rahul Gandhi dramatically shifted the INDIA bloc's protest after their march to the Election Commission was stopped and leaders were detained. He entered Akashvani Bhavan, leading to a standoff and a continued sit-in joined by other opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to protest against alleged threats to democracy.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the Modi government over the "war-like deployment" of police and paramilitary in Delhi to prevent a protest against the Election Commission. He highlighted extensive security measures, internet suspension, and detentions, calling it an "undeclared Emer-GenZ" and questioning the government's confidence in electoral integrity.
The Sports Ministry has established a 20-member National Sports Election Panel, including former Chief Election Commissioners, to oversee fair elections in national sports bodies as mandated by the National Sports Governance Act. Concurrently, the deadline for applications to the National Sports Tribunal, which will handle sports disputes, has been extended.
It is too early to judge whether the CJP will become a consequential political movement or remain a moment of protest. Its significance will depend less on the size of crowds or the reach of online campaigns than on what follows when the initial excitement subsides, notes Manoj Mohanka.
'In 2013-2014, Modi was asking for regime change. In fact, the words he used were, they should be pulled out and thrown away; ughadke phekna hai. That is part of democracy.'
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met President Droupadi Murmu, alleging 'vote chori' and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with the repeal of assembly polls from the last two years. Rahul Gandhi expressed shock that the President did not deny the 'election theft' charge but sought proof.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has strongly criticised the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating it is 'focussed more on exclusion' and has 'played havoc with democracy' by disturbing free and fair elections.
The opposition INDIA bloc held a massive rally in Delhi, accusing the BJP of 'vote chori' and electoral irregularities, with Rahul Gandhi asserting that CEC Gyanesh Kumar will be jailed for treason and legal action will be taken against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
A network of volunteers, including doctors, lawyers, and social media influencers, has mobilised in Delhi to provide medical assistance, legal aid, and mental health support to thousands of protesters detained during the recent CJP agitation. The initiative includes transport for released detainees, first aid, and therapist connections.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and various student organisations have called for a united protest on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They demand his resignation and an overhaul of the electoral system, describing the confrontation as a fight for democracy against the BJP. The groups are seeking to sustain street pressure, following a previous agitation that led to a minister's resignation.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of political vendetta after his name was marked as 'shifted' in the draft electoral rolls despite being registered in Mohali. The AAP has refuted the claims, stating that Chadha has been living in Delhi and was attempting to get his voter registration made in Delhi through a 'backdated process'.
With the anti-Gyanesh Kumar campaign, Rahul Gandhi is showing he is determined to not let anyone else claim credit for what follows, notes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
