Election Commission Row Escalates as INDIA Bloc Plans Nationwide ‘Save Democracy’ Protests

New Delhi: The political confrontation between the BJP and opposition parties over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified, with the INDIA bloc announcing a nationwide campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The opposition has announced “Save Democracy” marches and demonstrations from October 2 to 8 at district headquarters across the country. Opposition MPs are also scheduled to march towards the Election Commission in New Delhi on October 6. The INDIA bloc has said it will explore legal avenues, including challenging provisions of the 2023 Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act in the Supreme Court. Protests have already been reported in West Bengal and several other states and Union Territories. Congress-led demonstrations were held in Delhi and at least 11 states and UTs on September 26, with protesters raising demands concerning the electoral-roll revision and the CEC In West Bengal, opposition criticism has focused particularly on the SIR exercise, with TMC leaders alleging that valid voters were affected—claims disputed by the Election Commission. The controversy escalated after reports of disagreements within the poll panel over aspects of electoral-roll management. The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions were taken according to established procedures and has rejected allegations of wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the purported resignation letter of Gyanesh Kumar circulated on social media was officially described by the ECI as fake.