The AAP has officially exited the INDIA bloc and has been organising separate protests on the same issue. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Delhi Congress on Sunday announced that constituent parties of the INDIA bloc in the national capital will stage a protest outside the office of Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ashok Kumar at Kashmere Gate on October 7, seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged flaws in the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The parties will also join a march to the Election Commission (EC) of India headquarters on October 6, as part of the national call by INDIA bloc MPs.
The announcement was made after a meeting of the INDIA bloc’s Delhi constituent parties, which, apart from the Congress, included the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Revolutionary Socialist Party. Thirty-three leaders from 19 political parties participated in the meeting.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, the All India Forward Bloc, and the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress also attended the meeting and extended their support for the protest.
The AAP has officially exited the INDIA bloc and has been organising separate protests on the same issue.
‘Failures of CEO’
In a joint release, the INDIA bloc stated that the protest would highlight what the parties described as the “failures of the Delhi CEO” in enrolling voters, particularly those from minority communities and those living in the city’s poor neighbourhoods.
“The protest would also raise concerns over more than 47 lakh people being left out of the draft electoral roll under the SIR in Delhi, with another 33 lakh voters being served notices by the EC asking them to prove their eligibility,” the statement added.
Anil Bhardwaj, general secretary (organisation) of the Delhi Congress, said all parties in the INDIA bloc demanded that the SIR process be immediately repealed and the voter-list revision process be made transparent, fair and in accordance with the Constitution and voters’ rights.
“The voter list is the foundation of democracy. If any process is adopted that could potentially remove voters’ names or impact their rights, the INDIA bloc will not accept it at any cost,” Mr. Bhardwaj said.
‘United struggle’
He added that the protest on October 7 would send a message of united struggle to protect the rights of Delhi voters, fair elections and the democratic system.
On September 30, the INDIA bloc announced a graded agitation plan, which includes protest marches at district headquarters, public meetings, a march to the EC headquarters and a joint appeal to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for expedited hearings in cases related to the SIR and alleged electoral “malpractices”.
As part of the plan, the bloc said it would hold “Save Democracy” marches in every district between October 2 and 8. It also announced a major rally in Delhi on November 1.
Published - October 05, 2026 01:08 am IST