Opposition Leader Accuses Election Commissioner of ‘Vote Theft’

Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, held a symbolic public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday. He accused the CEC of facilitating “vote theft” and listed six specific charges, including the removal of 13.3 crore voters and the centralisation of control over electoral rolls. Kharge also said the Special Intensive Revision of the rolls was carried out to eliminate voters opposed to the BJP. The event was chaired by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and took place at Kharge’s residence on Rajaji Marg. Kharge demanded the removal of the CEC, an end to the SIR exercise and changes to the 2023 law that governs the appointment of the chief election commissioner. He also questioned the election results in Maharashtra and Haryana, claiming that votes were illegally added before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and then removed in subsequent assembly polls. The opposition’s accusations suggest that the CEC acted at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Earlier that day, Rahul Gandhi announced a march in Delhi to support the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan. The march was to start at noon from Minto Road near Connaught Place and end at Ramlila Maidan, but Delhi Police said no permission had been sought for the route.