Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, November 1, launched a sharp attack on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar during the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, alleging irregularities in the electoral process and warning that the CEC would eventually face legal action.
Rahul Gandhi Warns of Legal Action Against Gyanesh Kumar
Addressing the gathering, Gandhi said the first step towards restoring democratic institutions would be the removal of Gyanesh Kumar from the post of Chief Election Commissioner. He further claimed that Kumar would go to jail over alleged vote theft.
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Gyanesh Kumar at INDIA Bloc Rally in Delhi
Gandhi accused the Election Commission of facilitating irregularities during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections through alleged manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and voter lists. He described the 2024 general election as illegal and claimed that around 15 per cent of voters had been removed from electoral rolls after the polls.
The Congress leader also said the Opposition would hold those responsible accountable and pursue legal action over what it has termed ‘vote chori’. He argued that alleged manipulation of voter lists undermines the democratic rights and representation of citizens.
The rally was organised by the INDIA bloc under its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have raised concerns that the revision exercise could lead to eligible voters being excluded from electoral lists.
Several prominent opposition leaders attended the gathering, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
The protest march began from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction and proceeded towards Ramlila Maidan, where opposition leaders addressed supporters and demanded accountability from the Election Commission.
The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR exercise is intended to update electoral rolls by removing duplicate and ineligible entries. It has rejected allegations of political bias, while the BJP has also dismissed the Opposition’s accusations of electoral manipulation.
The rally followed a symbolic public impeachment programme against CEC Gyanesh Kumar organised by INDIA bloc leaders in Delhi on October 31. The Opposition has said it will continue its campaign over electoral transparency and the protection of voting rights.
