INDIA bloc meeting LIVE: Kharge bats for pre-SIR electoral roll to be used in future elections, stresses on unity in Opposition

Congress says Oppn. stands united to protect Constitution from 'vote chori gameplan via ECI'

Updated - September 30, 2026 02:25 pm IST

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule during the INDIA bloc meeting on September 30, 2026. Credit: X/AICC

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) batted for the pre-SIR electoral roll to be used for future elections and voting through ballots instead of EVMs, as he stressed on unity in the opposition INDIA bloc with a joint action plan. “The INDIA parties must stand together when the fundamental democratic right of citizens is at stake. We should therefore leave this meeting with a clear programme of action,” he said.

The parties participating in the ongoing meeting are the INC, SP, AITC, NCP(SP), SS (UBT), RJD, CPM, CPI, JKNC, JKPDP, JMM, CPI-ML, IUML, KC(M), MDMK, VCK, RSP, KC(J) and AIFB. “These and other Opposition parties stand united to protect the Constitution of India from repeated assaults of the Modi Govt - most recently its Vote Chori gameplan through the ECI to remain in power,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on social media.

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A series of hoardings taking potshots at Opposition leaders over their alleged contrasting positions on the Election Commission appeared in Delhi on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting. While the posters didn’t mention who put them up, the BJP separately criticised Rahul Gandhi, saying Opposition parties have started questioning his leadership even before the INDIA bloc meeting began.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) said his party is not part of the INDIA bloc and is therefore not attending the meeting called to discuss issues concerning the Election Commission.

The AAP leader also said his party supported the impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and was fighting against what he described as shortcomings of the Election Commission “from the streets to Parliament”.

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Top leaders of the INDIA bloc are meeting in the national capital on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) to discuss pressing issues, particularly focusing on irregularities surrounding the SIR exercise, and to finalise a high-stakes action plan for a nationwide joint agitation against the Election Commission (EC).

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INDIA bloc leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, gather in Delhi to target EC reforms, discuss SIR irregularities, and plan a nationwide protest.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) batted for the pre-SIR electoral roll to be used for future elections and voting through ballots instead of EVMs, as he stressed on unity in the opposition INDIA bloc with a joint action plan.

In his opening remarks at the INDIA bloc meeting, Mr. Kharge asserted that the opposition group will not allow transparency to be replaced by secrecy.

“And we will not allow the fundamental principle of our Republic -- one person, one vote, one value -- to be weakened,” he said at the meeting attended by TMC’s Mamata Banerjee and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav among others.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

“The Chief Election Commissioner stands totally exposed; he should be removed from his position,” Mr. Kharge said.

Talking at the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday (September 30) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that it is shocking that 13.3 crore voters were blatantly removed from the voter list, “their power to take part in democracy was snatched”.

“Across the country, citizens and political parties are raising grave concerns about the EC’s functioning,” said Mallikarjun Kharge at an INDIA bloc meeting. Mr.Kharge said.

“We demanded answers on EVMs and raised questions about voter-list manipulation,” he further added.

Top leaders of the INDIA bloc met in New Delhi on Wednesday (September 30) to finalise an action plan for a joint agitation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and to press for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Sources said the draft notice for a fresh bid to move a motion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was ready and would be deliberated upon for approval at the meeting.