INDIA bloc MPs on Monday began marching towards the Supreme Court to submit a petition highlighting alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and seeking action against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The delegation reached the Barakhamba Road intersection during the march.
The march was led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and included INDIA bloc leaders such as former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and leaders of the CPI and CPM.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, "The entire country is on the streets today. Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress workers from across the country have gathered here. All of us just one demand, for the Supreme Court to hear us. What CEC did is illegal, unconstitutional. He will have to resign from his post. The proof of 'vote chori' produced by us proves that we will have to fight the battle to save democracy in this country. We want to speak peacefully, in a Gandhiam manner. But the police are beating up the youth. Leaders are being jailed. This is wrong. I think the Supreme Court must hear us so that the correct measures can be taken. CEC has no right to continue on the position...This Govt is pushing forward Police to protect itself."
The INDIA bloc parties said their MPs would seek the CEC's resignation and sign a petition to be submitted before the apex court.
Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadoriya said, "The march is being led to the Supreme Court to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner and that action be taken to send him to jail. This struggle and protest will continue until he resigns and is sent to jail."
CPI General Secretary D. Raja confirmed that 10 leaders would sign the petition inside the Supreme Court on behalf of the INDIA bloc. "Inside the Supreme Court, 10 leaders will sign the petition and submit it on behalf of the INDIA bloc. I am one of the signatories."
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Election Commission was acting at the BJP's behest and questioned the effectiveness of the SIR exercise in Uttar Pradesh.
Akhilesh Yadav says, "BJP is still getting fake votes registered. We hope that the Election Commission will stay impartial. SIR was ongoing in UP and it has now concluded. Still, there are a large number of double votes. You conducted such a huge exercise, spent crores of rupees, and deployed officials for the same. Still, you could not rectify the voter list...What can you expect from them then? Why the SIR then? EC seems to be working at the BJP's behest."
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav described the march as a broader public demand rather than a show of political strength. "This is not display of strength, but a demand of the entire country... People are protesting everywhere in the country."
Despite heavy security arrangements, INDIA bloc leaders continued their protest against the Election Commission, reiterating their demand for action against the CEC. The delegation's planned petition to the Supreme Court marks another escalation in the opposition's campaign over alleged irregularities in the voter revision process.