INDIA Bloc MPs Detained Amid SIR Protest; EC Says It Received No Meeting Request

The standoff between the INDIA bloc and the Election Commission intensified on Tuesday after the poll panel said it had received no request from any political party seeking a meeting with its officials, despite Opposition leaders continuing their protest demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

According to IANS, Election Commission officials denied receiving any request for an appointment when asked whether INDIA bloc leaders had sought a meeting with the poll panel. The clarification came as Opposition MPs staged a protest at Delhi’s Akashvani Bhavan, demanding that the Election Commission meet them over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

INDIA bloc opposes SIR exercise

The INDIA bloc has been campaigning against the SIR exercise, alleging that eligible voters are being excluded from electoral rolls. Opposition parties have demanded that the ongoing revision process be scrapped and that names allegedly removed from voter lists without due process be restored.

The Opposition has also been demanding Kumar’s resignation, accusing the Election Commission of failing to adequately address their concerns over the electoral roll revision.

The protest continued despite the Election Commission’s statement regarding the absence of a meeting request. INDIA bloc leaders have maintained that they will continue their agitation until they are given an opportunity to meet the poll panel.

Opposition MPs detained during protest

Several Opposition MPs, including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, participated in the protest. Delhi Police later detained INDIA bloc MPs who were demonstrating at Akashvani Bhavan.

Gandhi, while speaking at the protest site, accused the Election Commission of refusing to answer Opposition questions concerning electoral rolls in states including West Bengal, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Congress leader alleged that the Opposition was seeking answers from an institution that was expected to ensure free and fair elections. He also questioned the police action against protesters, asking where Opposition leaders could peacefully stage their demonstration.

The Election Commission, meanwhile, has maintained that no political party had formally sought a meeting with its officials as of Tuesday, setting the stage for a fresh dispute between the poll panel and the Opposition over the SIR exercise.