Thousands of people marched in New Delhi on Sunday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a nationwide voter-roll revision that opposition parties allege favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The India voter roll protest went from central New Delhi to Ramlila Maidan, according to Dawn.
The protest was led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and called by the opposition bloc INDIA, according to France 24. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth movement, backed the campaign.
France 24 reports that more than 130 million names have been removed from voter lists since last year, according to the ongoing review. Dawn, citing Indian media and opposition parties in court filings, puts the figure at more than 133 million names. Neither figure is confirmed by the Election Commission or an independent count in the sources available.
Human Rights Watch called the removals "arbitrary and deeply flawed" and urged authorities to scrap the revision process, according to Dawn. Elaine Pearson, the group’s Asia director, made the call.
The Election Commission and Modi’s administration deny the allegations and say the revision removes duplicate and ineligible entries, according to France 24. Modi has not publicly commented on the protests. Some party leaders called the demonstrators "anarchists" and suggested, without offering evidence, that foreign powers back them, according to France 24.
Critics say the removals have disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims. BJP members have long alleged that undocumented Muslim migrants from Bangladesh fraudulently entered the rolls. Earlier CJP-led protests in July over exam irregularities forced the resignation of the education minister, a rare setback for Modi. Analysts call the current protests the worst crisis for Modi since he came to power in 2014, though his government remains stable and the next general election is due in 2029.
Police withdrew Jantar Mantar from the list of officially designated protest venues last month. Officials said authorities deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel, more than 200 CCTV cameras, drones and body-worn cameras for Sunday’s protest.
The sources do not give an official crowd count, and the Election Commission’s direct response to Sunday’s protest is not reported. Most key details rely on a small number of outlets, and the sources do not say what happens next. Opposition parties have renewed calls for Kumar’s resignation.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.