Leaders and representatives of Indian opposition parties will march towards the headquarters of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi on Tuesday to demand the removal of Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner, due to controversial changes in the voter list.
Protests Against Changes in the Voter List
Media reports indicate that security measures around the headquarters of the Election Commission have been strengthened. The opposition coalition known as 'INDIA', led by the Congress Party, announced this march last week as part of a broader campaign titled 'Save Democracy'. This campaign began on October 2 and is dedicated to protests against alleged irregularities by the Election Commission.
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The opposition is calling for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar, who faces accusations of unilateral action regarding the widespread removal of names from the voter list. Critics say this action, referred to as 'Special Intensive Review' (SIR), has disenfranchised millions of eligible voters and that the changes have been made in favor of the ruling party led by Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Removal of Names from the Electoral List
Since the onset of these changes last year, approximately 130 million names have been removed from electoral lists. This has raised serious concerns about the integrity of elections and voting rights in India. While the Election Commission and the BJP deny these allegations, pressure is mounting on Gyanesh Kumar and the government.
The opposition march will begin today from the Parliament building. It is also expected that leaders of the INDIA coalition will meet with Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, after this march to express their concerns regarding the SIR process.
Meanwhile, another protest is forming calling for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. The 'Cockroach' protesters will soon return to their protests at Jantar Mantar, the main site for online protests. This protest, known as the 'Cockroach Party', is scheduled for October 10.
Amid these pressures, by-elections are being held in three states and one union territory. These events reflect the political tensions in India and the challenges facing the country's democracy.
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