Opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc will assemble at India Gate on Monday and march towards the Supreme Court, where a delegation is expected to meet Chief Justice of India Surya Kant after 4 pm, amid the ongoing political confrontation over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who did not participate in the previous two marches, is expected to join Monday’s protest.
The proposed march comes a day after security forces detained thousands of people in Delhi to prevent a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led demonstration at Jantar Mantar demanding Kumar’s resignation.
Opposition plans march to Supreme Court
The INDIA bloc has appealed to people to join the protest on Monday, with opposition parties stepping up their campaign against the Election Commission.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal called for a “massive protest march” and urged people concerned about what he described as the survival of Indian democracy to participate.
Venugopal alleged that a nationwide “Vote Chori” had been orchestrated by the Modi-Shah government. The allegation is part of the Opposition’s political campaign and has not been independently established.
He said INDIA bloc MPs, leaders, workers and other citizens would participate in the march, while a delegation of senior Opposition leaders would submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India seeking his intervention.
Akhilesh Yadav to join protest
Akhilesh Yadav’s participation is significant as the SP chief was absent from the previous two Opposition marches.
The INDIA bloc has repeatedly demonstrated against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding his resignation.
During an earlier march towards the Election Comomission, Opposition MPs were stopped by Delhi Police and several leaders were detained. Akhilesh Yadav was among those detained during the October 6 demonstration.
Opposition cites security crackdown
The latest march follows heightened security in central Delhi amid the CJP’s planned Jantar Mantar protest.
Opposition parties have criticised the deployment of security forces and restrictions imposed around parts of the capital, alleging that authorities were attempting to suppress protests.
The CJP has also accused Delhi Police of “inhuman” treatment of its detained leaders, while police have maintained that preventive action was taken over security and law-and-order concerns.
The allegations by the Opposition and CJP leaders remain political claims and should not be treated as independently established facts.
Why are Opposition leaders approaching the CJI?
The Opposition’s decision to march to the Supreme Court comes amid a broader dispute over the Election Commission’s functioning and the revision of electoral rolls.
The INDIA bloc has sought judicial attention to issues surrounding SIR and changes related to electoral-roll procedures. Opposition leaders have argued that the matter affects voting rights and the integrity of elections.
The Supreme Court has previously indicated that it would examine the Election Commission’s records in connection with questions surrounding changes to Form 6, the statutory application used for voter enrolment.
Monday’s proposed march will therefore take the Opposition’s campaign from street protests directly towards the country’s highest court, with a delegation expected to submit its memorandum to the CJI after reaching the Supreme Court.