‘Vote chori’ proof will be submitted to President, says Rahul Gandhi after INDIA bloc meeting

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the INDIA bloc would submit evidence of alleged electoral irregularities to President Droupadi Murmu after a 10-member Opposition delegation met her at Rashtrapati Bhavan, seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The meeting, which lasted nearly an hour, followed a march by Opposition MPs from Parliament House towards Rashtrapati Bhavan. Police stopped the protesters at Vijay Chowk, where several leaders staged a sit-in while the delegation proceeded to meet the President.

Speaking after the meeting, Gandhi said he was surprised that Murmu had not challenged the Opposition’s allegations and had instead asked the delegation to provide evidence of alleged electoral fraud.

“We clearly said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar are conspiring against Indian democracy,” Gandhi said, adding that the President had asked them to submit proof.

He maintained that the Opposition was ready to provide the evidence and alleged that electoral irregularities had affected multiple states.

Mamata Banerjee says President will examine allegations

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said the President had assured the delegation that she would examine the memorandum and investigate the allegations after receiving supporting evidence.

Banerjee urged Murmu, whom she described as the custodian of the Constitution, to take appropriate steps to safeguard democracy.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the delegation had raised concerns about what it alleged were attempts by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to undermine democratic institutions. He said the President had listened to their concerns and indicated that she would examine the matter and decide on the appropriate course of action.

Kharge also reiterated the Opposition’s demand for replacing electronic voting machines (EVMs) with ballot papers, adding that the INDIA bloc was compiling the evidence requested by the President.

Opposition demands CEC’s removal, suspension of SIR

The INDIA bloc has demanded Kumar’s removal, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and restoration of the names of 13.8 crore people to the electoral rolls, according to Congress leader Pawan Khera.

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee argued that removing the Chief Election Commissioner alone would not be sufficient and called for criminal proceedings against him.

The Opposition’s agitation follows a report by The Indian Express that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on record at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months, primarily concerning decisions related to the SIR exercise.

The Election Commission has maintained that differences of opinion during institutional deliberations are normal and that its decisions follow established statutory procedures.

INDIA bloc plans further protests

The Opposition has announced a joint action plan, including rallies and “Save Democracy” marches, to intensify pressure on the Election Commission and the government over the electoral roll revision.

The delegation included Gandhi, Kharge, Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, CPI leader D Raja and representatives of other INDIA bloc parties.

Gandhi told Opposition MPs earlier in the day that the protests had put pressure on the government, while arguing that the controversy extended beyond the Chief Election Commissioner to wider questions about the government’s functioning.