INDIA Bloc Protests Election Commission Over Electoral Roll Allegations

The protest on October 6, 2026, stems from opposition concerns about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. This demonstration continues ongoing disputes over the integrity of the electoral process.

The protest followed a 2025 protocol that requires political parties to request meetings through an authorized representative.

1. Opposition leaders claim that 130 million votes were deleted during the "Special Intensive Revision" of electoral rolls. These leaders describe the deletions as "vote chori" (vote theft). They argue the process disenfranchised a large portion of the electorate.

2. The INDIA bloc asserts that the Election Commission conducted the electoral roll revisions without obtaining the necessary statutory approval. This procedural concern forms the basis of their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

3. The Supreme Court clarified that it did not approve modifications to Form 6, which is used for voter registration. Opposition parties cite this judicial stance to support their claims that the Election Commission acted outside its authority.

4. Opposition parties scheduled a protest at Jantar Mantar for October 10, 2026. The parties aim to maintain pressure on the Election Commission. They reiterate their demand for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

1. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sudhanshu Trivedi criticized the protest. Trivedi described Rahul Gandhi as an expert in theatrics. He accused the opposition of staging a drama instead of engaging in political discourse regarding the Election Commission.

2. The Election Commission reported that it received no formal meeting request from the Congress party or the INDIA alliance by 4 pm on October 6, 2026. The Commission said this meant no meeting had been formally arranged.

3. The Election Commission rejected the request for a meeting at the Parliament House Annexe. Officials stated that established protocol requires such meetings to occur at the Commission's own premises, rather than at external locations.

4. The Election Commission offered to send a senior official to the protest site to receive a memorandum from the members of parliament (MPs). Opposition leaders rejected the offer. The Commission described the proposal as a reasonable attempt to facilitate communication.