INDIA Bloc Submits ‘Vote Chori’ Memorandum to President Murmu, Claims She Did Not Reject Allegations

NEW DELHI, Oct 9: A delegation of INDIA bloc leaders met President Droupadi Murmu on Friday and submitted a memorandum raising allegations of “vote chori” and irregularities in the electoral process. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi claimed that the President did not reject their allegations and sought evidence to support their charges.

The delegation included Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, Samajwadi Party leader Rajeev Rai, RJD MP Manoj Jha, VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and CPI leader D Raja, among others.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gandhi said the President had asked the opposition leaders to provide proof of alleged electoral manipulation. He said the INDIA bloc would submit the evidence when she was ready to receive it.

Gandhi also announced that opposition leaders would meet Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday to submit a memorandum on the same issue.

The opposition delegation marched from Parliament House towards Vijay Chowk carrying a large “Save Democracy” banner. Police personnel stopped the march at barricades, following which the leaders proceeded to Rashtrapati Bhavan for their scheduled meeting with the President.

Kharge said the delegation had also urged the President to consider returning to ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for future elections. He reiterated that the opposition would provide the evidence requested during the meeting.

Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were conspiring to undermine Indian democracy. He claimed that electoral irregularities had occurred in several states and said the opposition expected the President to affirm the importance of free and fair elections.

“I actually expected the President of India to deny that ‘vote chori’ is taking place,” Gandhi said, adding that he was surprised by the response he attributed to her during the meeting.

Mamata Banerjee described the meeting as positive and said the INDIA bloc remained united and strong in its campaign.

Earlier in the day, INDIA bloc MPs met at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan to discuss their strategy for continuing protests against alleged electoral manipulation and to press for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The meeting was attended by Kharge, Gandhi, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and several other opposition leaders and MPs, including Banerjee, Sule, Rajeev Rai, Mohibullah Nadvi, Kapil Sibal and Pappu Yadav.

Addressing the gathering, Gandhi argued that the controversy extended beyond the Chief Election Commissioner and reflected what he described as a deeper problem with the current government. He said the opposition’s continued pressure could threaten the government’s survival.

Gandhi also criticised Kumar for his reported position on meeting elected representatives, describing the Chief Election Commissioner as a service provider to the democratic system.

The latest protests follow a report by The Indian Express stating that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the preceding 10 months, primarily concerning decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Responding to the reported differences, the Election Commission maintained that differing opinions and observations were a normal feature of institutional deliberations. It said its orders had full legal backing and complied with established statutory procedures.

The INDIA bloc had finalised a joint action plan last week to intensify its campaign against the SIR exercise, including public rallies and “Save Democracy” marches.

On Thursday, opposition leaders staged a sit-in at Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial in New Delhi, accusing the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Chief Election Commissioner of undermining the democratic process through alleged electoral manipulation.

The demonstration marked the third consecutive day of opposition protests. INDIA bloc leaders have pledged to continue their agitation and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

The opposition’s latest move to approach the President and the Chief Justice of India marks an effort to escalate its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities through constitutional institutions. The allegations remain contested, with the Election Commission maintaining that its decisions follow established legal procedures.