Student groups demand CEC resignation ahead of Bengaluru tribunal

Student bodies including the All India Students Association (AISA) and the Communist Students Federation have called for a united mobilisation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, escalating pressure on the electoral watchdog ahead of planned demonstrations. The groups are organising a 'People's Tribunal' in Bengaluru on October 10, which will see participation from various civil society figures and political leaders critical of the CEC's tenure. Opposition figures including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have indicated they will maintain pressure until the commissioner steps down. The student organisations characterised the tribunal as part of a broader campaign to challenge what they view as systemic failures in India's electoral administration. The agitation is expected to encompass broader calls for overhaul of the electoral system beyond the immediate demand for the CEC's resignation. The October 10 event marks a significant show of coordinated resistance against the electoral commission from student and political circles seeking systemic change in how elections are administered in the country.