Security Tightened Outside EC Office Ahead of INDIA Bloc March Against CEC

Security was tightened outside the Election Commission’s headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday ahead of a planned march by INDIA bloc MPs demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Delhi Police personnel were deployed behind barricades outside Nirvachan Sadan. Multiple layers of barricades were also installed around Vijay Chowk, while Rapid Action Force personnel were stationed near Akashvani.

Opposition MPs are scheduled to march from Parliament’s Makar Dwar to the Election Commission as part of their “Save Democracy” campaign. The parties have alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls and demanded greater transparency in the revision process.

The Biju Janata Dal said its MPs would participate following instructions from party chief Naveen Patnaik. BJD’s Rajya Sabha parliamentary party leader, Manas Mangaraj, announced the decision.

The party alleged that Kumar had acted arbitrarily during the SIR exercise and linked its protest to the claimed deletion of more than 13 crore voters’ names nationwide. That figure is an allegation by the party.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said Opposition MPs would march peacefully to the poll panel’s headquarters. He added that INDIA bloc parties would organise district-level marches, demonstrations and meetings until October 8.

The Aam Aadmi Party, however, said it would not participate.

“As for tomorrow’s protest, it is being organised by the INDIA alliance, and the Aam Aadmi Party is not part of it. However, we are fighting this battle in our own way,” AAP MP Sanjay Singh said ahead of the march.

In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that Kumar had changed Form 6 “illegally and unilaterally” and accused him of using his office to help the BJP. He shared an earlier Election Commission press release in support of his allegation.

With inputs from ANI