In brief
Indian opposition parties staged a march to the Supreme Court in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid accusations of vote‑count manipulation favoring the BJP. The protest, spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi, drew thousands amid tight police restrictions and road blockades. While the Chief Justice refused an immediate meeting, opposition lawmakers plan to file a memorandum after the march. The rally underscored growing tensions over electoral integrity and press freedom, as police detained demonstrators and journalists during related protests.
Delhi Protest: Opposition Demands Resignation of Election Chief
Opposition leaders from across India converged on the Supreme Court building in Delhi, chanting slogans and holding up copies of the Constitution as they urged the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, to step down. The march was organised in response to accusations that Kumar’s office has been manipulating voter rolls to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The gathering, led by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, attracted thousands of demonstrators, including student activists and civil‑society groups. Gandhi called on all parties that believe in democracy to join the march and filed a letter with the Chief Justice Surya Kant, warning that issues raised in the march were also pending before the Court.
The Chief Justice declined a meeting, citing “certain reasons”, but indicated that the Supreme Court would consider the protesters’ concerns. Police had already imposed heavy traffic restrictions and shut down several metro stations, deploying thousands of security forces along the march route.
Protest organisers highlighted the police’s violent response over the weekend, when thousands of demonstrators, journalists and even airline staff were detained or forcibly removed from a plane arriving in Delhi. Reporters Without Borders condemned the detention of at least sixteen journalists, while the BBC documented police violence, including a clip of an officer slapping a protester inside a bus.
BJP president Nitin Nabin accused the opposition and the Citizens for Justice Party of trying to destabilise India at the behest of foreign forces, though he offered no specifics. The protest continues to draw international attention, with social‑media activists and media outlets calling for an independent inquiry into electoral processes and press freedoms in India.
