Delhi Protests: Opposition Demands Election Chief Steps Down

The opposition bloc INDIA held a new protest in New Delhi on Sunday to demand the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration marked the latest public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered at Ramlila Maidan, a large public square in the capital. Many carried musical instruments and waved flags while chanting slogans against central government policies. The event followed a police crackdown on protesters in the city just weeks ago.

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, led the march alongside supporters of the youth group known as the Cockroach movement. The protesters cited a contentious revision of voter rolls as their primary grievance. They argued the process threatens to disenfranchise millions of citizens.

Since last year, the review of voter lists has removed more than 130 million names. Critics claim the exercise is politically motivated and disproportionately affects minorities, particularly Muslims. They say the changes threaten the voting rights of marginalized communities.

The Election Commission and Modi’s administration deny these allegations. Officials state the revision is intended only to remove duplicate and ineligible entries from the rolls. Human Rights Watch expressed concern on Thursday, noting the process raises serious questions about the fairness of future elections.

Elaine Pearson, the group’s Asia director, said authorities should immediately scrap the revision process. She noted it has denied many people their right to vote and access to government services. The opposition has maintained the call for Kumar’s resignation for several weeks.

Police deployed thousands of officers and paramilitary soldiers to secure the venue. Officials installed more than 200 CCTV cameras, drones, and body-worn cameras along the protest route. The crowd gathered at Ramlila Maidan after police removed Jantar Mantar, a historic observatory, from the list of designated protest sites last month.