Repeal recent Assembly polls, INDIA bloc urges President
INDIA bloc urges President to repeal recent Assembly polls, alleging vote theft, demanding CEC resignation, return to paper ballots, with Rahul Gandhi threatening government collapse.
Memorandum alleges large-scale “vote theft”, demands resignation of CEC, suspension of SIR, and return to paper ballots; Rahul Gandhi says sustained Opposition pressure could bring down the government
Updated - October 09, 2026 11:19 pm IST - New Delhi
The delegation that met the President included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby, CPI general secretary D. Raja, SP leader Rajeev Rai, and VCK president and Lok Sabha MP Thol. Thirumavalavan. Photo credit:X/Mallikarjun Kharge
The Opposition INDIA bloc on Friday (October 9, 2026) urged President Droupadi Murmu to “repeal” all Assembly elections held over the last two years, saying they have “incontrovertible proof” of “vote chori” (theft).
Before their meeting with the President, the Opposition leaders gathered at the central hall of Samvidhan Sadan, where according to sources, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi claimed that the government is “rattled” and if the Opposition continues its campaign, the government could fall without completing its full term.
“We have incontrovertible proof that vote chori has taken place on a massive scale in election after election. Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Delhi and West Bengal have been stolen,” the memorandum said.
The Opposition bloc is also scheduled to meet Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday (October 12) with a similar memorandum.
The memorandum reiterated the Opposition’s demands seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and repeal of the 2023 law that provides life-long immunity to the CEC and ECs.
They have also sought suspension of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls that had led to “illegal” deletions of 13.30 crore voters, and a return to paper ballots for all elections, replacing the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Addressing the media after the meeting, Mr. Gandhi said he was “shocked and surprised” that the President had neither “denied” nor “questioned” the Opposition’s allegations of vote theft.
“We clearly said that the Prime Minister, Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar have conspired to destroy Indian democracy. The President in no way questioned or denied what we said. She accepted our statement and asked us to bring the proof, which we are happy to provide,” he said.
The memorandum underlined that the Opposition represents over 60% of the Indian electorate. “The people of India look to the Office of the President as the final guardian of that covenant. We appeal to your conscience, to your sense of justice, and to your abiding duty to the people of this Republic. Do not let their voice be silenced,” the memorandum concluded.
The delegation included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby, CPI general secretary D. Raja, SP leader Rajeev Rai, and VCK president and Lok Sabha MP Thol. Thirumavalavan.
The President’s office had placed a limit on the number of leaders who could attend the meeting. The remaining Opposition leaders staged an impromptu sit-in near the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Earlier, addressing Opposition MPs and leaders at the Central Hall before the march to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mr. Gandhi said the issue went beyond the Chief Election Commissioner and required a broader political response.
“There is a much deeper problem than Gyanesh Kumar and it requires the termination of this current government. It is something worth fighting for and worth dying for,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Claiming that the BJP had been shaken by the recent protests, Mr. Gandhi said: “If we continue to push the way we have in the last three-four days, I guarantee this government will fall.”
He described the CEC as a “service provider” and criticised him for allegedly refusing to meet elected representatives, while reiterating allegations that elections in several States had been “stolen”.
Published - October 09, 2026 11:18 pm IST
Indian National Congress / Election Commission of India
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