By International Desk
NEW DELHI: India’s opposition parties staged a fresh demonstration in New Delhi on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over changes to electoral rolls that they claim could exclude eligible voters.
Opposition lawmakers and supporters marched toward the Election Commission headquarters, chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and calling for Kumar to step down. Police deployed heavy security, erected barricades and restricted movement around parts of central Delhi.
Several demonstrators were detained after authorities stopped the march before it reached the election commission offices.
The protests centre on India’s Special Intensive Revision of voter lists, an exercise launched in Bihar before state elections and subsequently expanded to other parts of the country.
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Opposition leaders and activists allege that the verification process could remove legitimate voters from electoral rolls because some of the required documents are difficult to obtain. They have accused the Election Commission of favouring Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, a charge rejected by both the commission and the government.
The Election Commission maintains that the revision is intended to identify and remove duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries while ensuring that qualified voters remain on the rolls.
The ruling BJP defended the election authorities, describing the opposition’s allegations as misleading.
Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, joined Tuesday’s demonstration. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the election chief ahead of the protest and called for his resignation.
The opposition campaign has gained momentum among younger Indians, with student groups and a youth-led movement also organising demonstrations over the voter-list revision.
The protests follow similar demonstrations in recent days, increasing pressure on the Election Commission as political parties debate the impact of the electoral roll changes on future elections.
Critics fear that large-scale deletions could disenfranchise eligible voters, while election authorities insist the verification process is necessary to improve the accuracy and integrity of voter lists.
