Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
MPs from 19 opposition parties on Tuesday took out a ‘Save Democracy’ march in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations concerning the revision of electoral rolls.
The opposition leaders marched from the new Parliament building towards the Election Commission office. However, security personnel stopped the protesters near the All India Radio office, preventing them from moving ahead.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, carrying the Tricolour, climbed onto the barricades while protesting against the action. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were subsequently detained by police and taken away in a bus.
The opposition MPs arrived carrying a ‘Save Democracy’ banner and raised slogans demanding, “Gyanesh Kumar resign.” Demonstrations against the Chief Election Commissioner have been continuing for the past five days.
Rahul Gandhi was also seen holding a poster that read, “Gyanesh, It’s Done Bro,” signalling the opposition’s demand that the CEC step down.
Five Demands of the Opposition
The INDIA bloc has put forward five major demands related to the electoral process:
Resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and cooperation in an investigation into alleged interference in electoral rolls.
Complete details of the addition, deletion and correction of names in voter lists should be made public at the booth and Assembly constituency levels.
No valid voter’s name should be removed without prior notice and an opportunity to appeal.
The opposition has raised concerns that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) could result in a large number of voters being excluded from electoral rolls. It has demanded that voter lists prepared before SIR be used for future elections.
The opposition has also demanded a return to ballot papers instead of EVMs and called for a simpler registration process for first-time voters.
The INDIA bloc parties said they would remain united on issues of transparency and institutional accountability in the electoral process, stressing that the ultimate authority in a democracy should rest with the people.
AAP, DMK Absent From Delhi March
The latest march from Parliament towards the Election Commission did not include the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the DMK.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has alleged that the SIR exercise resulted in the deletion of around 13 crore names from electoral rolls, an allegation that has become a major point of contention between the opposition and the Election Commission.
The INDIA bloc had previously organised a similar march on August 11, 2025, from Parliament House to the Election Commission office. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar and leaders of 25 opposition parties had participated in that protest.
