- The Congress leader accused CEC Gyanesh Kumar of attempting to suppress the voice of voters and demanded his removal.
- Opposition leaders gathered at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi against the SIR exercise and alleged electoral irregularities.
- The Commission says the revision aims to remove duplicate and ineligible voter entries and rejects allegations of political bias.
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a strong attack on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of attempting to silence the voice of the people through alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
Addressing a major INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, Gandhi described the alleged attempt to suppress voters’ voices as a serious offence against the country’s democratic system. He demanded Kumar’s removal from the post and alleged that the Election Commission had failed to protect the integrity of elections.
The rally was organised by the opposition alliance to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and what it describes as vote theft.
Rahul Gandhi Says Gyanesh Kumar Will Be Removed
During his speech, Gandhi said that Gyanesh Kumar would be removed from the post of Chief Election Commissioner and face legal consequences.
He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not have reached their respective positions without the support of the CEC.
Gandhi accused the Election Commission of facilitating electoral manipulation and claimed that the alleged irregularities had affected several state Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
These statements represent the Congress leader’s allegations and have not been established as judicial findings.
Opposition Raises Vote Theft Allegations
Gandhi alleged that votes had been manipulated through electronic voting machines (EVMs) and changes to electoral rolls.
He referred to elections in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, besides the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while making his allegations.
The Congress leader also claimed that a significant number of voters had been removed from electoral rolls after the 2024 general elections.
The opposition has argued that the SIR exercise could affect eligible voters and undermine their constitutional right to vote.
INDIA Bloc Leaders Gather at Ramlila Maidan
Several prominent opposition leaders attended the rally, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other INDIA bloc representatives.
The gathering followed a symbolic resolution adopted by opposition MPs on October 31 seeking action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The opposition also organised a march towards Ramlila Maidan before the public meeting. Supporters and party workers from different parts of the country participated in the demonstration.
The symbolic resolution and political demand for impeachment should not be confused with a completed formal impeachment proceeding.
Election Commission and BJP Reject Opposition’s Claims
The controversy over the voter-list revision has triggered a political confrontation between the opposition parties and the ruling BJP.
The Election Commission has maintained that the revision exercise is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible entries and improve the accuracy of electoral rolls. It has rejected allegations of political bias and said eligible voters can seek re-enrolment if their names are wrongly deleted.
The BJP has also criticised the opposition’s campaign, accusing it of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.
The dispute over SIR and alleged vote manipulation remains a major political issue, with opposition parties demanding accountability and the Election Commission defending the revision exercise.
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