Opposition MPs and leaders will march to Nirvachan Sadan, the headquarters of the Election Commission of India (ECI), in Delhi on Tuesday morning as part of their ongoing agitation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The INDIA bloc parties have also been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of helping the BJP “steal votes”.
Tuesday’s march is part of the Opposition’s broader “Save Democracy” campaign, under which its leaders have been organising demonstrations, public meetings and other programmes targeting the Election Commission.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said MPs from all Opposition parties would march peacefully from Parliament House to the Election Commission on Tuesday. He said the MPs had been asked to assemble at Makar Dwar at 10:30 am ahead of the march.
“At 11 AM (Tuesday), MPs of all opposition parties will march peacefully from Parliament House to the Election Commission. Everyone has been given the time of 10.30 AM to assemble at Makar Dwar,” Ramesh said.
He also said a meeting of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents and in-charges had been held in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
“Till October 8, all INDIA alliance parties will organise padyatras at the district level. There will be demonstrations; there will be meetings,” he said.
The Opposition has received fresh political ammunition from the Supreme Court’s observations on Monday regarding Form 6, which is used for applications for inclusion of names in electoral rolls. The Opposition alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner had acted at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana said the court would examine the decisions taken in the matter and intervene if any were found to be contrary to law.
“We will examine all the decisions. If any decision is not in accordance with the law, we will annul it. You know the power of the court,” the bench said.
Citing the court’s observations, Rahul Gandhi alleged that it had now been established that CEC Gyanesh Kumar had changed Form 6 “illegally and unilaterally”.
“He and everyone else involved in this criminal assault on our democracy will be held accountable,” Gandhi said in a post.
