Congress to meet state chiefs on October 5 over planned agitation against Election Commission

The Congress will hold a meeting of all AICC in-charges and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chiefs in New Delhi on October 5 to finalise the party’s strategy for its planned agitation against the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The meeting comes amid a growing confrontation between the Opposition and the poll panel over the electoral-roll revision process, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The Congress has accused the Election Commission of compromising the integrity of elections and has sought action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities. The ECI has rejected the allegations and said electoral rolls are prepared through established statutory procedures.

Kumar has faced criticism from Opposition parties following a report by The Indian Express, which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and procedures linked to the SIR exercise and other electoral matters.

The report also said an additional declaration relating to the previous SIR electoral roll was added to online Form 6 on the ECINET portal. The declaration sought details on whether the applicant, their parent or grandparent was listed in the electoral roll prepared during the previous SIR.

The issue has added to the wider political dispute between the Opposition and the Election Commission over the functioning of the poll body and the electoral-roll revision process.

Earlier on Wednesday, INDIA bloc leaders held a coordination meeting in New Delhi and announced a series of protests against the Election Commission.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Opposition parties would hold a nationwide ‘Save Democracy March’ at the district level from October 2 to 8.

Opposition MPs are also scheduled to march to the Election Commission on October 6. INDIA bloc leaders are expected to meet President Droupadi Murmu in the second week of October to raise their concerns over the functioning of the poll panel.

Addressing the coordination meeting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said INDIA bloc leaders were committed to seeking accountability over what they describe as threats to democratic institutions.

“It is the personal commitment of all INDIA leaders that we are going to ensure that the people who have destroyed Indian democracy are punished,” Gandhi said. “It doesn't matter how senior they are, who they are; Indian democracy is bigger than every single person in this country.”

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has maintained that electoral rolls are prepared under statutory procedures. The poll panel has also taken steps to review the functioning of its ECINET platform.