INDIA Bloc Marches Through Delhi, Demands Election Chief Resign

Drums, flags and chants of “vote chori” marked Sunday’s march from the Minto Road and Connaught Place junction to Ramlila Maidan. INDIA bloc leaders held a rally there against changes to voter lists. The alliance called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign, turning the march into a public show of unity over claims of election wrongdoing. ^1,6

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition figures travelled by open bus to the march’s starting point, followed by supporters on foot. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav joined them. At the rally, leaders accused the Election Commission of unfairly changing voter lists and called for accountability. Gandhi alleged that voter names had been wrongly deleted or added, and said action would follow. These are opposition claims, not court findings. ^3,6

Voter-list changes are at the heart of a dispute that goes beyond party slogans. The Election Commission says its review aims to remove duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries, while the BJP and the commission deny claims of manipulation. Media reports cited by opposition parties put removals above 133 million names; critics say the process could leave out eligible voters, including minorities. Human Rights Watch called the removals arbitrary and deeply flawed. Election authorities say people affected can apply to be added to the lists. ^7,14

The dispute has prompted a loud demand for the Election Commission chief to resign, while the opposition says it will keep pressing for accountability. The alliance adopted a symbolic motion against Kumar on October 31, then brought its protest to the capital’s streets the next day. The commission has rejected the opposition’s accusations, and no court ruling in these reports confirms them. ^6,3