Opposition delegation meets President, demands poll chief removal over electoral irregularities

A high-level delegation representing the INDIA opposition bloc met with President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday to demand action on allegations of electoral irregularities and press for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The delegation submitted a memorandum urging presidential intervention to investigate reported anomalies in voter rolls and sought the CEC's replacement, citing concerns over the conduct of recent electoral processes. The opposition coalition has increasingly voiced concerns about potential manipulation of electoral machinery and voter registration procedures.

Following the meeting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters that the President neither refuted allegations of electoral fraud nor provided categorical denials regarding vote manipulation. Gandhi stated that instead, the President had sought substantiating evidence from the opposition, suggesting she was open to examining their claims.

The INDIA bloc, which represents a coalition of multiple opposition parties, has mounted a sustained campaign questioning the integrity of electoral processes in recent elections. The delegation's approach of escalating concerns to the highest constitutional authority represents an intensification of opposition efforts to challenge electoral administration practices.

The Chief Election Commission has previously dismissed allegations of impropriety, maintaining that all electoral procedures follow established protocols and that voter rolls are regularly updated through standard administrative processes.