NEW DELHI, Oct. 12 -- Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced that INDIA bloc leaders would approach the Supreme Court at 3 pm to file a petition against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities and "vote chori", escalating the Opposition's confrontation with the Election Commission and the Narendra Modi government.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters, Indira Bhawan, Gandhi said the Opposition would pursue its allegations through judicial proceedings after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a request for a meeting with senior INDIA bloc leaders. He also accused Prime Minister Modi of protecting the Chief Election Commissioner and claimed that around 200 government officers were in contact with the Opposition and passing on information. The claim could not be independently verified.

Petition against CEC

Gandhi said the INDIA bloc's planned march towards the Supreme Court was open to citizens across political affiliations, including members of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He maintained that the agitation was intended to draw attention to concerns about electoral transparency and the functioning of constitutional institutions.

The Congress leader said he and party president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to the Chief Justice expressing concern over the state of electoral democracy. According to Gandhi, the Chief Justice had advised them to pursue their grievances by filing a petition. The proposed legal action follows the Opposition's demand for a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Kumar. INDIA bloc parties have alleged that the revision exercise could lead to the exclusion of eligible voters, while the Election Commission and BJP have rejected allegations of deliberate electoral manipulation.

Gandhi targets Modi

Accusing the Prime Minister of shielding Kumar, Gandhi said the demonstrations in Delhi had developed into a wider public movement against alleged electoral malpractice. He questioned the extensive security restrictions imposed in the capital and alleged that the government's response to the demonstrations reflected an attempt to suppress dissent.

Gandhi further claimed that personnel from Delhi Police and central security forces privately supported the protesters' demands. He asserted that officials within the government were providing information to the Opposition, although he offered no independently verifiable evidence during the remarks reported so far. The Congress leader maintained that the agitation would continue and that opposition parties would seek to expose what they described as irregularities in the electoral process.

CJI cites judicial propriety

The announcement came after Chief Justice Surya Kant declined the Opposition's request for a meeting, citing the pendency of related cases before the Supreme Court and the need to maintain judicial propriety. The Chief Justice said the Supreme Court remained accessible to everyone seeking legal remedies, but concerns involving matters already before the judiciary should be raised through appropriate legal proceedings rather than an administrative meeting.

Separately, during court proceedings on Monday, the Chief Justice said democratic activities should be conducted peacefully without obstructing the functioning of the Supreme Court or the movement of lawyers, court employees and litigants. His observations came as lawyers raised concerns about disruptions and detentions during the protests in Delhi. The court agreed to take up related petitions on Tuesday.

Delhi protests intensify

The INDIA bloc's announcement follows several days of demonstrations in the national capital against Kumar and the electoral roll revision exercise. Protests organised by political parties, student groups and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) have led to detentions, heightened police deployment and restrictions on movement in parts of central Delhi. The Opposition has criticised the police response, alleging that peaceful protesters were prevented from exercising their constitutional right to assembly. Police authorities have maintained that security measures were necessary to preserve public order. Congress leaders had earlier called upon party workers, civil society organisations and citizens to participate in Monday's march, which was scheduled to begin from the Connaught Place-Barakhamba Road area.

The proposed petition marks a shift towards formal legal proceedings in the Opposition's campaign against the Election Commission. However, the precise grounds of the petition and the relief sought will become clear only after it is filed. As of early Monday afternoon, Gandhi had announced the 3 pm move, but there was no confirmation that the petition had been filed or taken up by the Supreme Court.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.