INDIA bloc gears up for joint agitation, impeachment notice against CEC

Top leaders of the INDIA bloc began a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, 30 September, to finalise a coordinated action plan for a joint agitation protesting alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Congress party asserted that the opposition is united to safeguard the Constitution against what they called "repeated assaults" by the Modi government, including its "vote chori gameplan" to remain in power.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, along with AICC general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, participated in the meeting. Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and leaders from parties including the Samajwadi Party (SP), CPI, CPI(M), NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and others were also present.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jairam Ramesh said, “The INDIA janbandhan meeting just got underway. The parties participating are the Congress, Samajwadi Party, All India Trinamool Congress, NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(M), CPI, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, CPI-ML, IUML, Kerala Congress (M), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Kerala Congress (Jacob) and All India Forward Bloc.”

He added, “These and other Opposition parties stand united to protect the Constitution of India from repeated assaults of the Modi Government — most recently its Vote Chori gameplan through the ECI to remain in power.”

According to sources, a draft notice to initiate impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had been prepared and was to be deliberated at the meeting.

While the DMK and the AAP chose not to attend, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was absent due to Rajya Sabha election-related commitments.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Venugopal stated, “The Congress wants to hold a massive agitation to save democracy in the country with the help of all political parties. There will be valuable suggestions from leaders of the INDIA bloc tomorrow; after that we will sit and formalise the clear action plan for the future agitation.”

“We will coordinate between the INDIA bloc agitation programme and that of the Congress,” he told reporters.

The SIR controversy erupted after reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi repeatedly objected to decisions taken without their knowledge or recommendation. The EC responded by saying differing views are normal within any institution and reiterated the legality of its procedures.

This meeting marks a continuation of the opposition’s effort to unify against the BJP’s alleged misuse of electoral machinery, following earlier calls for resignations and legal interventions related to electoral processes.