INDIA bloc MPs to meet today, may intensify ‘vote chori’ protest

• INDIA bloc MPs will meet at Samvidhan Sadan at 3 pm Friday to plan further protests against alleged “vote chori” and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls

• The Opposition is awaiting an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu and may stage protests at key government locations if no meeting is granted

• The agitation enters its fourth day, with Opposition leaders demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation amid reported disagreements within the Election Commission over SIR-related decisions

Leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc are scheduled to meet at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan at 3 pm on Friday to discuss their ongoing agitation against alleged electoral irregularities, with sources indicating that the parties could launch another round of protests over what they describe as “vote chori”.

The meeting comes amid escalating tensions between the Opposition and the Election Commission of India over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The proposed demonstration would mark the fourth consecutive day of protests by Opposition leaders.

According to sources, the INDIA bloc has sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to raise its concerns over the electoral process. The Opposition has indicated that if the president does not grant them an appointment, it will consider other options to take its demands forward.

Potential venues for further demonstrations include Seva Teerth, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the vice-president’s residence, and the official residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, sources said. The final course of action is expected to be discussed at Friday’s meeting.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said on Thursday that the INDIA bloc had requested an appointment with President Murmu and was awaiting a response from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

According to Venugopal, the first letter seeking a meeting was sent on 2 October. The president’s office subsequently asked the Opposition to provide the names of the leaders who would attend.

The bloc submitted a fresh request on 5 October, along with the list of leaders, seeking an appointment on 7, 8 or 9 October.

“So far, we have received no response. We will wait until Friday,” Venugopal said.

The Opposition is seeking to present its concerns over the SIR exercise and alleged electoral irregularities directly to the president. The parties have also maintained that they intend to continue their agitation until their demands, including the resignation of the chief election commissioner, are addressed.

The latest developments follow three days of demonstrations by INDIA bloc leaders in the national capital. On Thursday, Opposition leaders staged a sit-in at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat, where they offered floral tributes and prayed for what they described as greater wisdom on the part of the BJP-led government and the chief election commissioner.

The leaders accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and the CEC of being involved in what they termed a conspiracy to undermine the electoral process. These allegations form the basis of the Opposition’s “vote chori” campaign.

The Rajghat demonstration followed two days of confrontations with the police, during which several Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, were detained and removed from protest sites.

The Opposition leaders have vowed to continue their agitation until the chief election commissioner resigns, intensifying their campaign against the conduct of the SIR exercise and the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls.

The Opposition’s campaign has gained momentum following a report by The Indian Express stating that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the preceding 10 months. Most of the reported disagreements concerned decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The report has added to the political debate over the Election Commission’s functioning and the implementation of the SIR process, which has faced criticism from Opposition parties.

Responding to questions over the reported objections, the Election Commission maintained that differences of opinion and observations are normal in institutional deliberations. It also asserted that its orders have full legal sanction and comply with established statutory procedures.

Last week, the INDIA bloc finalised a joint action plan to coordinate its response to the SIR issue. The proposed strategy includes public rallies and “Save Democracy” marches aimed at mobilising support for its allegations of electoral irregularities.

Friday’s meeting is expected to determine the Opposition’s next steps, including whether to proceed with another protest and where it might be held. With the INDIA bloc continuing to press for a meeting with President Murmu, the coming days could see further demonstrations and an intensification of its confrontation with the Election Commission and the BJP-led government.

With PTI inputs