The INDIA bloc on Friday (October 9) submitted a four-point memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu. It alleges large-scale electoral manipulation by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and seeks sweeping changes to the election system. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi later claimed that Murmu “did not deny” the allegations during the meeting. He said she did not question or argue with the Opposition leaders and instead asked them to submit proof of their claims.
The meeting comes amid protests over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
What are the INDIA bloc’s four demands?
The memorandum accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of undermining India’s electoral system. It alleges that electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter lists were manipulated in several elections.
The bloc’s four demands are:
- Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation: Remove the Chief Election Commissioner and repeal the 2023 law that grants immunity to election commissioners for acts performed in their official capacity.
- Restore deleted voter names: Suspend the SIR process and reinstate the 13.30 crore voters allegedly removed from electoral rolls.
- Return to paper ballots: Replace EVM-based voting with paper ballots for all elections.
- Repeal disputed elections: Annul Assembly elections held over the past two years in which the bloc claims there is conclusive evidence of “vote chori”.
Allegations against the Election Commission
The leaders argued that Article 326 of the Constitution, which provides for adult suffrage, underpins representative democracy. They accused the Election Commission of failing to safeguard that right. They also alleged irregularities in elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Delhi and West Bengal.
The memorandum said the President’s office was a final recourse when other avenues had failed. The allegations against the BJP and the Election Commission remain claims made by the Opposition.