Thousands of people gathered in New Delhi on Sunday (1 Nov) as opposition parties staged one of their largest demonstrations in recent weeks, protesting revisions to India’s electoral rolls and calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Opposition leaders criticised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, under which more than 130 million names have been removed from India’s electoral rolls. They argue the exercise has disenfranchised eligible voters, while the Election Commission of India says the revisions are aimed at removing duplicate and ineligible entries.
Key developments:
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined opposition leaders at the rally in New Delhi.
- Opposition parties demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over the electoral roll revision process.
- Authorities deployed thousands of police officers as large crowds gathered in the capital.
The demonstrations mark the latest phase of a broader dispute over electoral administration and democratic governance in India, with the government and the Election Commission of India maintaining that the voter roll revision is a routine administrative exercise.