INDIA Bloc Marches to Supreme Court Over Voter Deletions

The INDIA bloc and youth-led movements are conducting mass protests across India, culminating in a march to the Supreme Court of India on October 12. Protesters demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls resulted in the deletion of approximately 130 million names to benefit the ruling party.

Following a heavy security crackdown in New Delhi on October 10 and 11, police detained thousands of people, including senior leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal. The Cockroach Janta Party, which spearheaded the youth-led demonstrations, accused the government of creating an emergency-like situation. Reports of police brutality emerged, including the alleged assault of CPI(M) MP John Brittas and various student activists. In response, the Supreme Court of India held a special Sunday hearing, ordering the lifting of prohibitory orders around the court complex and prohibiting illegal detentions.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi called for a unified march to submit a memorandum to Chief Justice Surya Kant, demanding an end to what he termed vote chori. While the Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the protests as attempts to create anarchy, the opposition has expanded its agitation to cities including Mumbai, Pune, and Panaji. Chief Justice Surya Kant recently rejected a request for a direct meeting with opposition leaders, instructing them to file a formal petition as the matter is sub judice.