INDIA bloc plans Rajghat protest on Day 3 as FIRs deepen row with Election Commission

The INDIA bloc is set to intensify its protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosting Opposition MPs for lunch in Delhi before they are expected to proceed to Rajghat.

Buses have been stationed outside Moet's in Connaught Place, where Kharge is hosting the MPs, in what appears to be a repeat of the Opposition's strategy over the past two days. The leaders are expected to use the buses to continue their protest after lunch.

The Opposition's campaign comes amid heightened security in Central Delhi and around the Election Commission headquarters following two days of dramatic confrontations with the Delhi Police.

Rajghat plan after lunch

Sources said the MPs are likely to travel to Rajghat after the lunch to continue their protest demanding action against Kumar.

The Opposition's mobilisation is also taking place ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Droupadi Murmu on Friday. The INDIA bloc had requested an appointment for 15 MPs to submit its concerns about the Election Commission, but Rashtrapati Bhavan has agreed to meet a delegation of 10.

Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee are among those likely to be part of the delegation.

The protests are centred on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and allegations that the Election Commission has taken key decisions without the participation or knowledge of all three Election Commissioners.

Security tightened across Central Delhi

Delhi Police has stepped up security around Connaught Place, the Election Commission's office and Kumar's residence in anticipation of another confrontation.

Extra security has also been deployed for the Chief Election Commissioner's personal protection. Sources said there would be a 24-hour police presence around his Delhi residence.

The security changes were made on the basis of the current threat perception. Paramilitary personnel are also being deployed in the area amid the possibility that the Opposition leaders could again attempt to move towards Jantar Mantar or the Election Commission headquarters.

The heightened security follows two days of protests in which senior Opposition leaders were detained after attempting to march towards designated protest areas.

Two days of clashes with police

On Wednesday, the Opposition leaders had lunch at Sagar Ratna before boarding buses parked outside the restaurant and attempting to travel to Jantar Mantar.

Police stopped the buses, triggering high drama on the streets and culminating in the detention of several senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The second day of protests also saw an almost three-hour-long bus procession and an impromptu sit-in at a roundabout outside the Shangri-La hotel after security personnel stopped the Opposition MPs.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lay on the road holding a copy of the Constitution, alongside other women leaders, while Rahul Gandhi repeatedly resisted attempts by police to put him inside a detention van.

INDIA bloc leaders also jostled with security personnel as police attempted to detain them and clear the area.

The demonstrations have continued despite the police action, with the Opposition insisting that its campaign against Kumar will continue.

Fresh FIRs against Rahul and Priyanka

The confrontation has now also turned into a legal battle.

Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for allegedly assaulting police personnel and obstructing government work during Wednesday's protest. Several Congress leaders and party workers who participated in the demonstration have also been named, according to police sources.

Police are examining the allegations and the role of those involved. Three FIRs have been reported in connection with Wednesday's protest, with further cases possible.

Rahul and Priyanka had already been booked on Wednesday over allegations that they entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises during Tuesday's protest.

Rahul Gandhi appeared to make light of the legal action. After the Opposition's lunch at Sagar Ratna on Wednesday, he told reporters that he had 45 FIRs against him and that his target was 100.

Why the Opposition is targeting Gyanesh Kumar

The Opposition's campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner intensified after an Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected on record at least 14 times over the previous 10 months to decisions and orders concerning the Special Intensive Revision.

According to the report, the two commissioners said some decisions had been issued without their knowledge or recommendation. Their objections covered issues including the addition and deletion of voters and other aspects of the voter-roll revision process.

The report also said the two commissioners had raised concerns about the centralisation of access to voter databases and the integrity of election software, with the matter even reaching Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan.

The findings triggered a political storm, with Opposition parties questioning whether the three-member Election Commission was functioning collectively.

Election Commission defends its decisions

The Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that differences between its members undermine the validity of its decisions.

The poll body has maintained that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations within any institution and that all its orders carry full legal sanction and comply with established statutory procedures.

The dispute has now reached the Supreme Court as well. The court has sought clarity on whether decisions concerning the SIR were taken collectively by the three-member Commission or unilaterally by the CEC. It has warned that orders not made in accordance with the law governing the Commission could be invalidated.

The Supreme Court is also considering a separate challenge to the functioning of the Election Commission and the nationwide SIR, following allegations that Kumar acted without the mandatory participation of the other commissioners.

Opposition's protest enters a critical phase

With the INDIA bloc planning another mobilisation on Thursday and a delegation scheduled to meet President Murmu on Friday, the confrontation over the Election Commission is showing no sign of easing.

The Opposition's planned Rajghat visit, the heightened security around key locations and the fresh FIRs against senior Congress leaders indicate that the dispute over the SIR and Kumar's functioning has moved beyond Parliament and into an increasingly high-profile street and legal confrontation.