In brief
Thousands of opposition supporters and civil society activists converged on Delhi's Supreme Court to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in the face of accusations of voter roll manipulation. The protest, part of a broader campaign against alleged electoral bias favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, drew heavy police presence and resulted in the detention of thousands, including journalists. Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders have called upon all democratic stakeholders to join the march, while the Supreme Court has declined a meeting with opposition leaders citing pending matters. The incident has sparked international attention, with Reporters Without Borders condemning the crackdown on press freedom.
Opposition Leaders March in Delhi
India's main opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi, staged a march to the Supreme Court in Delhi to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP.
The protest, part of a series of demonstrations, led to heavy security deployments and road closures. Police detained thousands of protesters, including journalists, and reportedly used force to remove dissenting crowd members.
The Supreme Court rejected an invitation from opposition leaders, citing that the issues raised already pending before the court. However, Chief Justice Surya Kant assured that the court would consider all substantive concerns raised by citizens.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, alongside Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, presented a memorandum to the court outlining concerns about election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s conduct and the controversial roll revision.
Opposition leader Neha Bora, a leftist student activist, was seen supporting the march. Several daily incidents of police dragging protesters, including women, and alleged abuses were captured and shared by media outlets.
Reporters Without Borders condemned the detention of at least 16 Indian journalists, condemning the police actions as unacceptable. BJP President Nitin N. N. N. blamed opposition parties and the CJP for allegedly destabilizing India at foreign behest, though he did not specify the foreign forces involved.
