Opposition parties will march to the Supreme Court on Monday to intensify their protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of “vote chori”. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have also sought an appointment with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to submit a memorandum raising concerns over alleged electoral irregularities.
However, the CJI has declined to meet Rahul Gandhi, citing the fact that similar matters are pending before the Supreme Court, sources said. He suggested that the Congress leader approach the court through the judicial process, with a petition that could be taken up on Tuesday.
According to sources, the CJI said no orders could be passed on the administrative side and emphasised that the Supreme Court remains accessible to citizens whose fundamental rights have been violated. He also noted that the court could not intervene in executive functions through administrative proceedings.
Rahul Gandhi and Kharge had written to the CJI seeking an appointment between 4 pm and 5 pm on Monday to hand over a memorandum. Their demands include an end to alleged “vote chori”, Kumar’s resignation, a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots.
‘Chalo Delhi – March For Democracy’
The Congress has named Monday’s demonstration “Chalo Delhi – March for Democracy”. Opposition leaders are scheduled to assemble at the Connaught Place–Barakhamba Road junction at 1.30 pm before proceeding towards the Supreme Court.
Announcing the march, Rahul Gandhi said opposition parties, civil society organisations, young people and citizens who support democracy and the Constitution would participate, irrespective of political affiliation, gender, caste, community or state.
In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that protesters who gathered peacefully in Delhi on Saturday were beaten by police personnel and BJP workers. He said the demonstrators were exercising their rights as citizens and seeking to protect the Constitution.
“Tomorrow, we will march to the Supreme Court as Indians, united beyond party, gender, caste, community and state,” Gandhi said, adding that the protest would be driven by love, brotherhood and patriotism.
He also asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat would not be able to silence the voices of citizens.
The planned march follows a protest by INDIA bloc leaders on Friday, when they walked from Parliament to Vijay Chowk before submitting a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu.
Kharge Accuses Centre Of Creating ‘Chaos’
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday, Kharge accused Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah of creating chaos in the country. He also criticised the security arrangements and detentions during Saturday’s protests, alleging that the government was apprehensive about the youth-led agitation.
Kharge said he and Rahul Gandhi had written to the CJI requesting a meeting between 4 pm and 5 pm on Monday to apprise him of their concerns.
Referring to the deployment of security personnel in Delhi on Saturday, Kharge claimed that around 32,000 police personnel and 7,500 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel had been deployed. He alleged that the arrangements reflected the government’s fear of the protests.
Kharge accused the government of undermining democratic functioning and said the opposition would continue its campaign to protect democracy and citizens’ constitutional rights.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also criticised the police action, alleging that journalists working with news agencies, Malayalam-language media outlets, independent bloggers and YouTubers, particularly women, had been detained and assaulted.
Another Congress general secretary, Jairam Ramesh, described the alleged use of force against students, young people and opposition leaders as an attack on democratic institutions. He accused the Modi government of undermining the Constitution and the country’s democratic framework.
SIR Row At Centre Of Opposition Campaign
The opposition’s latest move comes amid a political dispute over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The controversy intensified following a report by The Indian Express alleging that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the preceding 10 months, including on matters related to the SIR exercise.
Last week, INDIA bloc parties finalised a joint action plan to oppose the revision process, which includes rallies and marches under the banner of “Save Democracy”.
The opposition has alleged irregularities in the electoral process and demanded accountability from the Election Commission, while the dispute has increasingly become a flashpoint between the ruling BJP and opposition parties.
Delhi Metro Closes Entry, Exit At Six Stations
Ahead of Monday’s march, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced that entry and exit gates at six metro stations would remain closed until 4 pm due to security concerns.
The affected stations are Janpath, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk and Patel Chowk. However, interchange facilities will remain operational at all six stations, the DMRC said in a post on X.
The corporation added that security agencies would review the situation and issue further updates as required.
The Congress has announced the demonstration to press its allegations of “vote chori” and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
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