In brief
Opposition parties converged on the Supreme Court in Delhi, calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter fraud that favours the ruling party. The protest, organized by the Congress, was met with a heavy security presence and mass road closures, while supporters chanted slogans along Barakhamba Road. CJP leaders and activists faced detentions during a recent attempt to march, with thousands of journalists reported held by police. Rahul Gandhi urged all civic groups to join, whereas BJP’s Nitin Nabin accused dissenters of destabilisation, linking them to foreign influence. The episode highlights the mounting tensions around election integrity in India.
India’s main opposition parties, led by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, marched to the Supreme Court in Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They allege that the election rolls have been altered to give an advantage to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The march began on Barakhamba Road early afternoon, where thousands of supporters rallied alongside a bus carrying Rahul and other leaders. Flags trailed the vehicle and chants echoed across the route as participants called for “fair elections”.
Police forces set up extensive restrictions, cancelling trains and shutting several metro stations. Officers blocked roads leading to the court and detained thousands of demonstrators, including journalists, during a weekend attempt to reach Jantar Mantar, the historic protest site.
Opposition lawmakers also submitted a memorandum to Chief Justice Surya Kant, who declined a meeting citing “certain reasons” but indicated that some of their issues lie before the court. The court is expected to hear the case in due course.
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested when arriving by plane and released only a day later. They maintained that protests would continue despite the ban on road access.
The BJP’s president criticised the opposition, accusing them of destabilising India at the behest of “foreign forces”. Meanwhile, the coalition of protestors highlighted the peaceful nature of their campaign, condemning the use of force against demonstrators.
The episode underscores deep divisions over electoral fairness in India and the high stakes of political power in the country’s future.
