NEW DELHI — India’s opposition alliance, the INDIA bloc, is planning a major protest in New Delhi on October 12, accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of facilitating alleged “vote theft” and calling for action against him.
Senior leaders of the opposition alliance have been asked to remain in the capital to participate in the planned demonstration. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition figures are expected to submit a memorandum to the Supreme Court, seeking judicial intervention over their allegations against the Election Commission chief.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also expected to join the protest, while Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee is reportedly scheduled to return to Delhi for the programme.
Congress general secretary K. C. Venugopal announced the planned demonstration, calling on opposition parties to unite against alleged electoral irregularities. He said opposition leaders would submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India, urging the judiciary to intervene in the matter.
Venugopal also demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, asserting that the opposition would not retreat from its campaign.
The planned mobilisation represents a fresh challenge by opposition parties to the Modi government over electoral integrity and the functioning of the Election Commission. However, the allegations of “vote theft” remain claims made by the opposition, and no judicial finding establishing them is cited in the report.
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