NEW DELHI, Nov. 1 — India’s opposition INDIA bloc demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation at a New Delhi rally Sunday, intensifying a dispute over how the country’s voter rolls are being revised.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed the gathering at Ramlila Maidan. EconoTimes previously covered Gandhi’s call for the protest. Attendance estimates differed: Al Jazeera described thousands of protesters, while the Associated Press reported tens of thousands.
The dispute centers on the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Associated Press reported that more than 130 million names had been removed since 2025; Al Jazeera presented the same figure as an opposition claim. On Sept. 26, the ECI said the final elector count would follow publication of rolls in 12 remaining Phase III states.
Al Jazeera also reported opposition allegations that Muslims and members of other minority groups were disproportionately affected and that the revision could benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The ECI says the review is intended to improve voter-roll accuracy by identifying duplicate or ineligible registrations. Its stated criteria include an elector’s death or permanent relocation, duplicate enrollment and cases in which officials cannot locate a voter after repeated visits. The Commission said on Sept. 26 that people whose names are missing may apply to be enrolled through its continuing update process.
Al Jazeera reported that Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda told ANI the rally did not show respect for democracy. It also reported that the BJP accused opposition parties of undermining democracy by challenging what it called legitimate electoral procedures.
For Delhi, the filing period for claims and objections ended Oct. 30. The ECI’s deadline to dispose of related notices and claims is Nov. 30.
