INDIA bloc to move SC against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Rahul Gandhi asks him to quit

Escalating its confrontation with the Election Commission of India (ECI), leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc said they will approach the Supreme Court on Monday, October 12, at 3 pm to file a joint petition against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of institutional integrity.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, ahead of the scheduled protest march to the apex court, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanded the immediate resignation of the CEC and accused authorities of turning the national capital into a police “fortress”.

He also asked all opposition parties, civil society groups, and anyone who believes in democracy, including BJP members, to join Monday's march.

The Leader of Opposition urged the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down from his post.

"Resign, turn approver; you have made a mistake, but you are not the mind behind the mistake," Rahul Gandhi urged.

He also clarified media reports regarding a request for interaction with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, which was denied.

"The Congress president and I wrote to the CJI expressing our grave concern about the murder of Indian democracy and electoral fairness," Rahul Gandhi stated. "There seems to be some confusion that the government is not understanding. It has been said that the CJI will not meet Opposition leaders. That is not relevant. What is relevant is that the CJI has responded and instructed us to file a petition in the Supreme Court and begin the legal process. Today, INDIA bloc leaders and I will go to the Supreme Court and file this petition together," a PTI update on X said.

Rahul Gandhi also claimed that a large section of officials within the Union government are actively cooperating with the opposition alliance.

"I want to tell PM Modi, 200 officers from within your government are in touch with us; they are passing on information to us," he said during the press briefing.

Criticising the heavy security deployment across New Delhi, where thousands of police and security personnel have barricaded access points and restricted public movement ahead of the planned march, Rahul Gandhi questioned the rationale behind the enforcement measures.

"Why is Delhi in jail? Why is the capital city of India in jail?" he asked. "People are being stopped from reaching Delhi. Trains and buses are being stopped, and people are being deboarded. Delhi has been turned into a fortress; there are 20,000 to 30,000 police in Delhi.”