Monday, November 2

Thousands Join Indian Opposition Protest Demanding Election Chief’s Resignation

 

Thousands Join Indian Opposition Protest Demanding Election Chief’s ResignationISLAMABAD, 1 November, 2026 (Ghufran): Thousands of people took to the streets of New Delhi on Sunday as opposition parties staged a major protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over controversial revisions to voter lists. The demonstration, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, began with a march towards the historic Ramlila Maidan under heightened security arrangements. Protesters alleged that the voter-list revision was designed to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while opposition leaders called for accountability and transparency in the electoral process. Several demonstrators claimed that eligible voters, including members of minority communities, had been removed from electoral rolls without justification. One protester told Reuters that four members of her family had been marked as having moved elsewhere despite continuing to live at their registered address. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of political bias, stating that voters whose names were wrongly deleted can re-register, while the BJP accused opposition parties of undermining democratic institutions by questioning legitimate electoral procedures. Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda described the protest as a politically orchestrated campaign and alleged that it could create instability in the country. The demonstration is part of a series of protests that began in late September, following media reports about concerns raised by senior election officials over voter-list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems. The revision process, which started last year, reportedly resulted in the removal of more than 130 million names from voter lists, including people who had died, relocated or could not be traced. Opposition parties claim the deletions disproportionately affect Muslim voters and other minority communities, an allegation denied by both the Election Commission and the ruling BJP. Analysts say the growing protests and increasing opposition mobilisation have created a major political challenge for Modi, although his government remains stable and the next general election is scheduled for 2029.

ISLAMABAD, 1 November, 2026 (Ghufran): Thousands of people took to the streets of New Delhi on Sunday as opposition parties staged a major protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over controversial revisions to voter lists. The demonstration, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, began with a march towards the historic Ramlila Maidan under heightened security arrangements. Protesters alleged that the voter-list revision was designed to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while opposition leaders called for accountability and transparency in the electoral process. Several demonstrators claimed that eligible voters, including members of minority communities, had been removed from electoral rolls without justification. One protester told Reuters that four members of her family had been marked as having moved elsewhere despite continuing to live at their registered address. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of political bias, stating that voters whose names were wrongly deleted can re-register, while the BJP accused opposition parties of undermining democratic institutions by questioning legitimate electoral procedures. Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda described the protest as a politically orchestrated campaign and alleged that it could create instability in the country. The demonstration is part of a series of protests that began in late September, following media reports about concerns raised by senior election officials over voter-list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems. The revision process, which started last year, reportedly resulted in the removal of more than 130 million names from voter lists, including people who had died, relocated or could not be traced. Opposition parties claim the deletions disproportionately affect Muslim voters and other minority communities, an allegation denied by both the Election Commission and the ruling BJP. Analysts say the growing protests and increasing opposition mobilisation have created a major political challenge for Modi, although his government remains stable and the next general election is scheduled for 2029.