- INDIA bloc meets Friday to intensify protests against CEC.
- Opposition demands CEC Kumar’s resignation over alleged
- Bloc awaits President Murmu’s appointment request since early October.
- Media report on Election Commissioners’ objections fuels opposition campaign.
The INDIA bloc is preparing to intensify its agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged “vote chori”, with opposition MPs scheduled to meet in Delhi on Friday to decide their next course of action.
The MPs will assemble at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan at 3 pm. The meeting could be followed by a fourth consecutive day of protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The opposition has also sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu and warned that “all options are on the table” if it does not receive a response.
INDIA Bloc Awaits President’s Response
Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the opposition bloc first wrote to the President on October 2. After Rashtrapati Bhavan sought the names of leaders who would attend the proposed meeting, the bloc submitted a fresh request on October 5.
“We submitted the request again on October 5, along with the names, seeking an appointment on October 7, 8 or 9,” Venugopal said.
“So far, we have received no response. We will wait until Friday,” he added.
Possible venues for further protests include Seva Teerth, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Vice-President’s residence, and the residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, according to News18.
Opposition Continues Protest Over SIR
On Thursday, opposition leaders staged a sit-in at Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, accusing the BJP leadership and the Chief Election Commissioner of conspiring to carry out “vote chori”. These allegations have been made by the opposition and remain contested.
The sit-in followed two days of protests during which several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, were detained by police. INDIA bloc leaders have vowed to continue their agitation until Kumar resigns.
Media Report Adds To Opposition’s Campaign
The opposition’s campaign has gathered momentum following a report by The Indian Express stating that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months, mainly concerning decisions related to the SIR exercise.
The Election Commission said differences of opinion and observations were a normal part of deliberations within any institution. It maintained that all its orders carried full legal sanction and followed established statutory procedures.
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