The opposition INDIA bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) are set to step up protests against the Election Commission from October 2, with the two announcing programmes against electoral-roll revisions, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the functioning of the poll panel.
The INDIA bloc will hold district-level “Save Democracy” marches and demonstrations outside district magistrates’ offices from October 2 to 8, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said after a meeting of the opposition alliance.
'Save Democracy' march
On October 6, all Opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission in New Delhi. The bloc also plans to seek an appointment with the President in the second week of October to submit a representation on what it describes as difficulties and constitutional concerns relating to the electoral process.
Five large rallies are also planned, with dates and venues to be announced later.
Kharge said the alliance would seek greater transparency in electoral-roll revisions and push for the use of electoral rolls prepared before SIR in future elections. The bloc has also sought constituency-wise and booth-wise disclosure of additions, deletions and corrections, prior notice and reasons before a voter’s name is removed, and an effective appeal mechanism.
The alliance has additionally backed a return to ballot-paper voting.
CJP plans 'Jail Bharo Andolan' in Mumbai
Separately, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has announced a 'Jail Bharo Andolan' at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2, after Mumbai Police denied permission for the outfit’s planned Gandhi Jayanti protest at the venue.
“Jail Bharo Andolan in Mumbai. October 2, Shivaji Park. #SaveDemocracy,” Dipke said in a post on X on Monday.
Dipke had warned a day earlier that CJP would launch the agitation if it was not allowed to hold its planned protest.
Mumbai Police said it was not empowered to grant permission for a gathering at Shivaji Park under existing court directions and government guidelines. The organisers were advised to consider an alternative venue in Mumbai, where their application could be considered.
CJP’s October 2 demonstration is part of its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission.
CJP has demanded Kumar’s resignation and initiation of criminal proceedings against him, a freeze on the SIR exercise and restoration of the January 2025 voter list. It has also called for repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners and broader reforms to the poll body.
CJP had earlier announced plans to begin a nationwide agitation from Mumbai if Kumar did not resign.
SIR controversy
The protests come amid a continuing controversy over the Election Commission’s handling of SIR and reported differences within the three-member poll panel.
The controversy follows an Indian Express report last week that said two of the Election Commission’s three members had recorded objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions related to the voter-roll overhaul, including the addition and deletion of names.
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions of a split within the three-member Commission. It has said differences of opinion and observations are part of normal internal deliberations and maintained that decisions relating to SIR were taken unanimously.
The Commission has also said its orders and administrative directions carry legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
Form 6 issue
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has withdrawn the additional SIR declaration from the online voter enrolment Form 6 in states where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is complete. The requirement had drawn objections from two of the Commission's three members.
The declaration asked new applicants to furnish details linking themselves, or their parents or grandparents, to electoral rolls prepared during an earlier intensive revision. It remains available on the ECINET portal in states and Union territories where SIR is still underway.
The change came days after a September 26 meeting of the full Commission, comprising Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
Joshi had objected to changes relating to Form 6, arguing that a form prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 cannot be modified without amending the rules. Sandhu concurred and later described the addition of the declaration as “unauthorised/illegal”.
The Commission has maintained that Form 6 itself was never amended and that the declaration was an additional SIR-specific requirement. It has said that outside the SIR period, the forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 will be used.
