INDIA Bloc Challenges Election Commission Over Electoral Roll Revision

Opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc, led by Rahul Gandhi, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court of India challenging the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The petition, supported by 11 opposition leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, alleges irregularities in the revision process. The Supreme Court Registry has since flagged 14 defects in the filing and requested clarification regarding the naming of specific commission members as private respondents.

Parallel to the legal challenge, the All India Trinamool Congress organized a protest rally in Kolkata targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh accused Kumar of rigging votes to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party and claimed that police blockades were used to stifle the demonstration. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advocated for the use of existing electoral rolls until all eligible voters are included.

In New Delhi, Rahul Gandhi hosted a coordination meeting with opposition leaders and student activist Neha Bora to demand the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. The group condemned the government's denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, vowing to challenge the restriction. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police registered multiple FIRs against protest marchers for violating prohibitory orders and against social media handles for allegedly spreading anti-India narratives. In Kerala, Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced a state investigation into corruption allegations involving Gyanesh Kumar's previous tenure as PWD secretary.