CEC Gyanesh Kumar

INDIA bloc leaders staged a peaceful protest at Rajghat in New Delhi on October 8, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral-roll irregularities. The demonstration followed a lunch meeting hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, with Opposition leaders pledging to continue their campaign.

Actor-activist Prakash Raj and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee joined a protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on October 8, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and supporters. Protesters demanded the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged wrongful voter deletions.

The INDIA bloc is intensifying its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with opposition MPs planning another major protest in Delhi and seeking a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu.

The Samajwadi Party’s absence from Mallikarjun Kharge’s lunch meeting for INDIA bloc leaders has triggered fresh speculation over coordination among Opposition parties.

Hundreds of protesters were detained in Delhi during demonstrations demanding action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. AISA, opposition parties and civil society groups joined the protests, while the Election Commission maintains that voter-list revision is part of its statutory responsibilities.

Telangana Congress held statewide protests on September 28, 2026, raising concerns over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has sought greater transparency and detailed information on voter-list revisions and deletions.