The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has suspended 215 office-bearers across eight states for failing to attend the Congress-led INDIA bloc's November 1 rally in Delhi, organised as part of the Opposition's protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions.
The suspensions, issued on November 3, will remain in force until further notice. The Youth Congress leadership termed the absences an act of organisational indiscipline, pointing out that national, state and district-level office-bearers had been instructed to participate in the rally and the march preceding it.
The action followed an attendance-monitoring exercise that involved a mobile application and barcode scanners, with the organisation seeking to ensure that its office-bearers followed instructions and participated in what was one of the largest Opposition mobilisations in recent years.
Madhya Pradesh records highest number of suspensions
Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest number of suspensions, with 60 office-bearers facing disciplinary action. An order shared by the Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress on X cited organisational indiscipline for missing the 'Vote Chori Rally' and said the decision had been taken in accordance with directions from the national leadership.
Gujarat recorded the second-highest number, with 49 suspensions, followed by Jharkhand with 32 and West Bengal with 26.
The other states and units affected were Telangana, with 14 suspensions; Himachal Pradesh, with 13; Uttar Pradesh (Central), with 11; and Haryana, with 10.
In Gujarat, the suspended office-bearers include district presidents from Ahmedabad, Amreli, Anand, Aravalli, Banaskantha, Gandhinagar, Junagadh, Mehsana, Patan and Panchmahal.
Mobile application and barcode scanners used to track attendance
People familiar with the matter said the IYC relied on a mobile application to monitor participation and communicate rally-related instructions. The application was used to share location details, timings and other information with office-bearers.
A Congress leader said those who failed to register on the application or follow the instructions provided through it were among those who faced disciplinary action.
The organisation also deployed barcode scanners at the assembly point on Delhi's Minto Road to record the attendance of participants.
A second Congress leader said the IYC leadership had specifically instructed all national, state and district-level office-bearers to attend both the rally and the march that preceded it. The attendance-monitoring arrangements were intended to verify compliance with these directions.
Rahul Gandhi targets PM Modi and Amit Shah at rally
The disciplinary action comes after the INDIA bloc's November 1 march and rally in Delhi, during which senior Opposition leaders stepped up their criticism of the BJP-led government over alleged electoral irregularities.
The march passed through central Delhi and continued for more than an hour before culminating in the rally. Addressing supporters, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah would not be allowed to escape the law.
He described the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as the first step towards putting the country back on track.
Following the rally, Gandhi took to X to express his appreciation for the turnout, saying the large participation demonstrated that democracy and truth would prevail.
The rally was organised as part of the Opposition's campaign against alleged vote manipulation and irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls, with the INDIA bloc demanding accountability from the Election Commission.
Protests against Election Commission intensify
The November 1 mobilisation was part of a series of protests against the Election Commission and its handling of electoral roll revisions. Over the preceding month, thousands of people had taken to the streets to demonstrate against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests continued despite restrictions, including Metro station closures, internet shutdowns and prohibitory orders imposed by authorities.
In October, Delhi witnessed a major security deployment, with around 40,000 personnel being mobilised to manage demonstrations and maintain law and order. The national capital was effectively turned into a virtual fortress during the protests.
The police response also triggered controversy after several protesters were allegedly dragged, manhandled and detained during the demonstrations.
The suspension of 215 Youth Congress office-bearers marks a separate organisational fallout from the INDIA bloc's mobilisation, with the party leadership taking disciplinary action against members who failed to follow instructions to attend the rally.
The suspensions will continue until further notice, with the Youth Congress yet to indicate when the affected office-bearers could be considered for reinstatement.