OPPOSITION PLANS OCTOBER 6 SHOWDOWN AT ELECTION COMMISSION OVER VOTER ROLL DISPUTE

September 30, 2026

Opposition Members of Parliament are set to march to the Election Commission of India’s headquarters in New Delhi on October 6, as the INDIA bloc intensifies its campaign over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

The announcement was made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge following a meeting of opposition leaders in the capital on September 30. The gathering focused on coordinating a joint campaign against what opposition parties describe as electoral manipulation and institutional bias, while renewing their demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The opposition has also planned five major rallies during October and November to raise its concerns nationally. Several leaders called for wider public participation, including support from civil society groups, artists, writers and other organisations, as the campaign expands beyond Parliament.

West Bengal former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Election Commission of facilitating voter suppression through the SIR exercise and warned that protests would intensify if the demand for Kumar’s resignation was not addressed. Other opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, also raised allegations of electoral irregularities. These claims remain contested, with the Election Commission maintaining that its decisions follow statutory procedures and carry legal authority.

The meeting included representatives of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Left parties, NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and other opposition groups. The Aam Aadmi Party and DMK did not attend, although both have indicated support for the parliamentary initiative seeking the CEC’s removal. The absence of some leaders underscored continuing differences within the broader opposition grouping.

Alongside the planned march and rallies, opposition parties are preparing a fresh parliamentary motion seeking Kumar’s removal. The proposed action marks a further escalation in the political dispute over the electoral-roll revision process and the Election Commission’s functioning.