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INDIA bloc finalises Save Democracy marches, demands paper ballots and CEC accountability

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Opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday finalised a joint agitation over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and called for a return to paper ballots. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said all parties present agreed elections should use ballot papers instead of EVMs.

INDIA bloc finalises Save Democracy marches, demands paper ballots and CEC accountability
A landmark government building in New Delhi, where opposition leaders met on the Election Commission row.

Save Democracy marches from 2 October

After a three-and-a-half-hour session at the Constitution Club, the alliance announced district-level “Save Democracy” marches from 2 to 8 October, a march by opposition MPs to the Election Commission on 6 October, a meeting with the President in mid-October, and five major rallies, including one in Delhi on 1 November.

Classical government building with columns
A government building exterior as opposition MPs prepared to march to the Election Commission.
Polling room with electronic voting equipment on a desk
Voting equipment in a polling room; opposition leaders demanded a return to paper ballots.

Rahul Gandhi said the fight was “not an ordinary” one and that democracy was “bigger than any individual”. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged outreach beyond the bloc, saying she had spoken to parties including the BJD, and demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The push follows the Congress CWC’s ECI strategy session a day earlier. BJP leaders separately argued the alliance was fractured, pointing to absentees from the Delhi meeting.

Who attended — and who stayed away

Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Omar Abdullah, Tejashwi Yadav and Supriya Sule were among those present, along with leaders from the SP, CPI, CPI(M), NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT). The DMK and AAP skipped the meeting; Akhilesh Yadav sent representatives.

Crowd gathered under an elevated roadway with an Indian national flag
A public gathering with the Indian flag; the alliance called Save Democracy marches from 2 October.

Demands on rolls and the CEC

Kharge sought use of pre-SIR rolls for future polls, booth-wise disclosure of additions and deletions, and a legal challenge to immunity provisions for election commissioners. The stand builds on earlier calls for the CEC to resign. Full coverage is in The Hindu.

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