INDIA alliance calls November 1 rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan demanding chief election commissioner's resignation

The INDIA alliance of 28 opposition parties opposed to the BJP has called a protest rally at Ramlila Maidan in the capital New Delhi on November 1 to demand the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The alliance has set a target of gathering at least one million people at the programme, according to the rally announcement.

Indian news agency PTI reported the information on Sunday, citing Rao Narendra Singh, president of the Haryana state unit of the Congress — the INDIA alliance's main partner — and its general secretary Sanjay Dutt.

The two Haryana Congress leaders told PTI that the purity of the voter list, transparency in the electoral process and protecting the voting rights of every eligible citizen are essential for the country's democracy, and that the Congress will make no compromise on this.

They said the Congress and the INDIA alliance's nationwide 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' campaign has now reached a decisive stage, and organisational preparations have been stepped up to take the campaign to every district, block, village and polling centre in Haryana.

Rao Narendra Singh and Sanjay Dutt said party workers have been instructed to document possible discrepancies in the voter list, spread awareness about eligible voters' rights, and ensure large participation from Haryana in the November 1 rally.

The November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan is being seen as the final stage of the 'Delhi Chalo' campaign, called against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission's procedures and the voter list's 'Special Intensive Revision' process.

The Congress said the rally, organised in protest at what it calls 'vote theft', will send a message of unity in defence of democracy and the constitution.

Questioning the chief election commissioner's role, Sanjay Dutt said maintaining transparency and neutrality in the electoral process is the Election Commission's constitutional duty, and that fears of eligible citizens' names being dropped and the discrepancy allegations raised during voter list revision need to be reviewed with great seriousness.

Sanjay Dutt and Rao Narendra Singh said the Congress believes the questions over the neutrality of the electoral process cannot be properly resolved while Gyanesh Kumar remains in office, so his removal is essential; they also said that if an inquiry finds him responsible for weakening the democratic system or violating the law, appropriate legal steps including his arrest should be taken.

Sanjay Dutt told PTI: 'The right to vote is the foundation of democracy. Protecting every citizen's vote means protecting the constitution and the people's verdict.' He added: 'This fight of ours is not for any individual or political party, but to protect that constitutional right of every citizen through which they can choose their own government through free and fair elections.'