INDIA Bloc to stage nationwide protest from Oct 2–8 over electoral issues
New Delhi, September 30: The Indi alliance of opposition parties has decided to launch a nationwide agitation against the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. The alliance’s constituent parties will hold nationwide marches from October 2 to October 8. On October 6, opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission 0f India’s office. The alliance also demanded voting through ballot papers instead of EVMs and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post.
The eighth meeting of the Indi alliance lasted for about three hours at the Constitution Club here on Wednesday. The issues of SIR, EVM-VVPAT, voter lists and removal of the Chief Election Commissioner were discussed in the meeting.
The meeting was attended by 20 opposition political parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(M), CPI, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, PDP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, CPI(ML), Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress (M), MDMK, VCK, RSP, Kerala Congress (J), and All India Forward Bloc.
Following the meeting, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated in a press conference that all the alliance parties would fight together on these issues. He alleged that the central government has turned the Election Commission into a puppet and that the BJP is colluding with the Election Commission to steal votes. To restore public confidence in elections, voting should be conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs.
Kharge stated that opposition parties will hold a “Save Democracy March” across the country from October 2nd to 8th. On October 6th, all opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission. Opposition leaders will also seek an appointment with the President in the second week of October. He will brief the President on issues related to the election process and constitutional institutions. Following this, five major rallies will be held in October-November. The venues and dates for these will be decided later. A major rally will be held in Delhi on November 1.
Kharge also put forward six demands for opposition parties. These include the use of the pre-SIR voter list in future elections, complete transparency regarding all changes to the voter list, the right to notice and appeal before any name is deleted, protection of eligible voters from administrative exclusions, ballot voting instead of EVMs, and simplified voter registration for youth.
He stated that complete information about changes to the voter list should be made public. He also demanded the use of the pre-SIR voter list in future elections. He stated that any genuine voter should be informed before their name is deleted from the voter list, the reason for the deletion, and the opportunity to appeal effectively. He also demanded protection of eligible voters from deletion due to administrative lapses, lack of documents, or lack of information.
Kharge claimed that the names of 133 million voters have been removed from the electoral rolls under the SIR. He said that if names have been removed, it should also be disclosed whose names were removed and why. Article 324 mandates an independent and impartial Election Commission. Two of the Chief Election Commissioner’s associate Election Commissioners have expressed their dissent 14 times in the last 10 months. They questioned the Chief Election Commissioner’s functioning and demanded his removal from office.
Kharge also raised the issue of the 2023 law governing the appointment, service conditions, and tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. He said that this law includes a Union Minister instead of the Chief Justice on the selection committee for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. He said that the government has created a system to influence the Election Commission.
Kharge alleged that changes to Form 6 for voter registration are making it difficult for young people to become first-time voters. The registration process for first-time voters should be simple and easy.
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, stated that all leaders of the Indi alliance have pledged to fight together against those who undermine democracy, regardless of their size or influence. Indian democracy is bigger than every individual. Together, opposition parties have successfully conveyed to the people that elections are being stolen.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have harmed democracy.
He stated that a growing sense of resistance is emerging among the youth. Opposition parties are working together and will strive to bring about significant change in the country in the coming months.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee claimed that the Indi alliance is united and all parties are on board. She leveled allegations against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She demanded his resignation. She alleged that questions about the electoral process have become more pronounced following the issue of “vote theft” raised by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav.
She also raised allegations about the BJP’s victories in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Bihar, and the election process in West Bengal. He stated that the opposition parties have raised their complaints at all levels, including the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. Gyanesh Kumar alleged vote theft and EVM tampering. The Chief Election Commissioner should resign immediately. If he doesn’t resign, the movement will escalate.
It’s worth noting that this is the 8th meeting of the Indi Alliance in the last three years, and the second this year. Previously, on June 8th, opposition parties had met to address the issue of the SIR and the independence of the Election Commission.
The Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK did not attend that meeting. This time, too, no representatives from the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK attended. However, both parties signed the joint letter sent by the opposition parties to the Chief Justice of India on June 28 regarding the SIR issue.
