Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, following a protest march by INDIA bloc leaders in the national capital.
Advocate S Prasanna, a member of Gandhi's legal team, confirmed that the petition had been filed, news agency ANI reported. The plea is titled "Rahul Gandhi v. ECI".
Gandhi was joined by Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Singh Hooda, Gaurav Gogoi and Imran Pratapgarhi, along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, among others, in the INDIA bloc's 'March for Democracy' from Connaught Place towards the Supreme Court.
The opposition leaders and their supporters sought to submit a petition raising concerns over alleged 'vote chori' and the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Earlier in the day, Gandhi called on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and turn approver, alleging that the CEC was not the principal figure behind the alleged wrongdoing and that more powerful individuals were involved.
He accused the government of protecting Kumar and said the opposition's agitation would continue until the CEC stepped down and the electoral system underwent a complete overhaul.
Gandhi also alleged that heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel in Delhi was aimed at preventing people from joining the protest. He claimed that the handling of demonstrations had strengthened the resolve of the INDIA bloc and students.
"We will not stop, since truth is with us," Gandhi said, urging people to join the march and describing the Constitution as his religion.
The petition comes amid the opposition's sustained campaign against the ECI over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions.
