Thousands of Indians marched in New Delhi on Sunday to protest changes to voter lists, which opposition leaders say favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. The demonstrations, led by the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party and the Indian National Congress, targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who oversaw the revisions. The move comes as the Election Commission denies any bias in the process.
The protests, part of a broader campaign against the revisions, saw tens of thousands of demonstrators gather at Ramlila Maidan. Opposition leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc figures, called for Kumar's resignation. The revisions, which have removed over 130 million names from voter lists, have been accused of disproportionately affecting minorities and undermining democratic processes.
The Election Commission has maintained that the revisions aim to remove duplicate and ineligible entries, but critics argue the process is politically motivated. The controversy has led to a series of protests, including a symbolic impeachment of Kumar by the INDIA bloc, highlighting the deepening political tensions. The next general election is scheduled for 2029, adding urgency to the ongoing debate over the revisions.
The opposition and civil society groups have accused the Election Commission of lacking independence, with concerns over the integrity of the electoral process. While the Commission denies the allegations, the protests underscore the growing divide between the ruling party and the opposition, with the latter demanding accountability and transparency in the revision process.