The INDIA bloc is holding a symbolic public impeachment programme against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on October 31, stepping up its campaign over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The programme was initially scheduled for October 30 but was postponed because of persistent rain in the national capital. Opposition leaders decided to conduct it a day later as part of their wider campaign on electoral transparency and voting rights.
Meira Kumar to Preside Over the Programme
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is expected to preside over the symbolic proceedings. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is scheduled to move the motion, while Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is expected to deliver the concluding remarks.
Representatives of opposition parties, civil society groups and people affected by the electoral-roll revision are also expected to participate.
The exercise is intended to present the opposition’s concerns publicly. It is a political demonstration and does not have the constitutional authority to remove the Chief Election Commissioner.
Opposition Questions SIR and Electoral Roll Changes
The INDIA bloc has accused the Election Commission of failing to address concerns over voter deletions and the implementation of the SIR exercise.
Opposition parties have demanded accountability from the poll body and called for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The Election Commission, meanwhile, has maintained that the revision process is intended to identify and remove duplicate or ineligible entries while providing opportunities for genuine voters to seek corrections or inclusion.
Rahul Gandhi Announces Chalo Dilli March
The symbolic programme is being followed by a larger opposition mobilisation on November 1. Rahul Gandhi has invited political organisations, students, youth groups and citizens to join the ‘Chalo Dilli’ march.
The march is scheduled to proceed from the Minto Road–Connaught Place junction towards Ramlila Maidan, where opposition leaders are expected to address a public gathering.
Gandhi has described the demonstration as a collective effort to defend voting rights and the Constitution.
BJP Rejects Allegations of Obstruction
The political confrontation has also intensified after Rahul Gandhi alleged that efforts were being made to prevent people from travelling to Delhi for the rally. The BJP rejected his claims and asked him to provide evidence.
The exchange has added another dimension to the opposition’s campaign ahead of the November 1 gathering.
Two Days of Opposition Mobilisation
The October 31 programme and the November 1 march form part of the INDIA bloc’s broader effort to keep electoral issues at the centre of national political debate.
The opposition is seeking to draw public attention to its concerns about voter-list revisions, while the BJP and Election Commission have disputed the allegations. The upcoming rally is expected to bring these competing positions into sharper political focus.
