The INDIA bloc is set to hold another protest against alleged “vote chori” and the SIR of voter listsOpposition leaders are awaiting an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu and have warned of further demonstrations if their concerns remain unaddressed.
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The INDIA bloc is preparing to continue its protest against alleged irregularities in voter lists, with opposition MPs scheduled to meet at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan at 3 pm on FridayThe meeting could be followed by another round of protests against what opposition leaders have called “vote chori”, according to reports.
The opposition alliance has also sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to raise its concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh KumarSources said the alliance is still waiting for a response from Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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INDIA Bloc Protest: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka stage sit-in at building near Election Commission
If the meeting does not take place, the opposition may consider other ways to take its protest forwardPossible locations for further demonstrations include Seva Teerth, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Vice-President’s residence, and the official residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources said.
Friday’s planned action would mark the fourth consecutive day of protests by opposition leaders.
INDIA Bloc awaits response from Rashtrapati Bhavan
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the opposition alliance had first written to President Murmu on October 2, requesting a meeting to discuss its concerns.
According to Venugopal, the President’s office later asked the alliance to provide the names of the leaders who would attend the meetingThe INDIA bloc submitted another request on October 5, listing the names and seeking an appointment on October 7, 8 or 9.
Venugopal said the alliance had not received any response so far and would wait until Friday before deciding its next move.
The opposition wants to present its concerns directly to the President, particularly over the voter list revision exercise and the allegations of irregularities raised by opposition parties.
Opposition leaders hold sit-in at Rajghat
On Thursday, INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi, and staged a sit-in protestThey accused the ruling BJP leadership and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining the democratic process through what they described as a conspiracy involving “vote chori”.
The leaders paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and prayed for what they called greater wisdom on the part of the government and the Chief Election Commissioner.
The demonstration was the third consecutive day of protests over the issueOpposition leaders have said they will continue their agitation until Gyanesh Kumar resigns.
The protests followed two days of heated demonstrations during which several opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, were detained by police and removed from the protest site.
The INDIA bloc has been seeking to build pressure on the government and the Election Commission over its objections to the SIR process and alleged problems with electoral rolls.
Election Commission faces questions over internal differences
The protest has gained momentum following a report by The Indian Express, which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on at least 14 occasions over a period of 10 monthsTheir concerns reportedly involved decisions linked to voter registration, changes to Form 6 and the management of electoral rolls.
The report has added to the political debate over how the Election Commission makes decisions and whether all three members are involved in important matters.
The Election Commission, however, has defended its working processIt said differences of opinion are a normal part of decision-making in an institution and maintained that its decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken through proper procedures and had legal backing
