INDIA bloc to meet President Murmu at 8 pm over ECI row as Opposition intensifies ‘vote theft’ protest
The I.N.D.I.A bloc is set to meet President Droupadi Murmu at 8 pm on Friday after Rashtrapati Bhavan confirmed an appointment with Opposition leaders amid an escalating confrontation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The President’s office confirmed the meeting on Friday after the opposition bloc sought time to present its concerns over Kumar and the alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise. A 10-member delegation is expected to meet the President, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav among the prominent leaders expected to be part of the delegation. The meeting comes as opposition MPs continue their protests in the national capital for the third consecutive day, demanding Kumar’s resignation over what they have alleged to be irregularities in the electoral process.
INDIA bloc steps up protest over alleged vote theft
The Opposition intensified its agitation on Thursday, with I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders staging a sit-in at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat. During the protest, opposition leaders accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Chief Election Commissioner of “hijacking” the country through an alleged criminal conspiracy involving “vote theft.”
The Opposition has been seeking to turn its allegations concerning electoral rolls and the conduct of the Election Commission into a broader political campaign. The proposed meeting with President Murmu is expected to provide the bloc an opportunity to formally present its concerns at the highest constitutional office.
Rahul Gandhi alleges damage to democracy and Constitution
Rahul Gandhi has alleged that India’s democratic institutions and the Constitution had suffered serious damage over the past 10 to 15 years. He described the Opposition’s campaign against alleged vote theft as an ongoing political movement rather than a short-term protest.
In a video shared on X, Gandhi made the remarks while travelling by bus to Rajghat after a lunch meeting at Connaught Place. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and their “chosen people” of undermining democracy. “The matter is serious. The matter is from the last 10-15 years. India’s democracy, its democratic functioning, its Constitution have been damaged and destroyed,” Gandhi said.
Oppn claims to have presented evidence from four states
Gandhi said the Opposition had initially raised allegations of vote theft before presenting what he described as supporting evidence from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. “Earlier we used to only tell about ‘vote theft’, then showed proof—Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, MP, we showed proof,” he said.
He also referred to letters allegedly written by two Election Commissioners to the Chief Election Commissioner, claiming that the correspondence raised concerns about the country’s electoral system. “And a few days ago, two Election Commissioners wrote letters to the CEC, saying that India’s electoral system has collapsed,” he said.
The claims form part of the Opposition’s broader allegations against the Election Commission. The allegations and the Opposition’s interpretation of the purported correspondence have not been independently established in the information provided.
‘Protest will continue beyond a few days’
Rahul Gandhi rejected the suggestion that the agitation should be viewed as a campaign lasting only four or five days. He said the protests were part of a continuing effort to seek justice for citizens. “Whatever it is happening. You may think this is a 4-5-day protest, but this is an ongoing protest. The protest is to give justice to the citizens of India,” he said.
He further claimed that the political campaign would eventually result in a change of government, followed by an inquiry and investigation into those he accused of damaging democracy. The meeting with President Murmu comes against this backdrop, with the I.N.D.I.A bloc seeking to raise its concerns over the Chief Election Commissioner and the SIR exercise directly with the President.
