Anti-CEC protest highlights: 'One million people will join Nov 1 march,' claims Congress leader Venugopal

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Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Speaking to the media, Congress MP KC Venugopal said, "Don't worry, more and more workers and ordinary people will join this. This is not an ordinary issue; it is a very serious one."

"You all know the state of democracy in our state... This rally is not for any individual or any political party. It is a march to protect the votes of ordinary voters. One million people will join the march to Delhi. Note down the date: November 1," the leader added.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Speaking to reporters about trade unions’ concerns over the Opposition’s November 1 rally, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "It has been decided to hold a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1. Meanwhile, some traders have submitted a memorandum."

"We will consult with our party and our other alliance partners before making a final decision on the next steps tomorrow, he added.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Nearly 5,000 Congress leaders and workers from Jammu and Kashmir are set to participate in a mega national rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on November 1, according to the party leaders.

Organised by the Congress, the rally will raise concerns over alleged "vote chori", the party leaders led by PCC working president Raman Bhalla said at a press conference in Jammu.

"Congress workers from each district of Jammu and Kashmir will participate in the scheduled mega rally against 'Vote Chori'. The people of this country will not tolerate hijacking of the electoral system by BJP through the Chief Election Commissioner," news agency PTI quoted Bhalla as saying.

(via PTI)

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh vice president Rajinder Kapoor alleges a possible foreign funding and e-commerce link to the November 1 Opposition rally.

"This is the festive season, the biggest festival for Hindus. Whether rich or poor, everyone shops according to their means. If markets are disrupted and customers stop visiting them, they will be left with only e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Walmart. We suspect there may be a major game by foreign companies to disrupt our country's economy," Kapoor said.

"Where is the funding for the Opposition rally coming from? This is our apprehension, and we urge people and political parties across the spectrum to remain alert," he added.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday urged Congress workers and people of the state to turn out in large numbers for the INDIA bloc's rally in Delhi on November 1.

"The mega rally of the INDIA alliance at Delhi's Ramleela Maidan on 1 November is a crucial milestone in the "Save the Vote, Save the Nation" campaign," Gehlot said in a post on X.

"I appeal to all Congress workers and conscious citizens of Rajasthan to attend this rally in large numbers. Every single vote of every citizen shapes the nation's future. Raising our voice to safeguard it is the duty of us all," he added.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has asked party MPs to remain present in Delhi from October 30 to November 1 amid ongoing protests by INDIA bloc parties over alleged 'vote chori'.

In a communication to party MPs, Kharge requested them to be present in the national capital on October 30, 31 and November 1, 2026.

According to the report, the communication cited the allegations of 'vote chori' and revelations regarding alleged irregularities by the Election Commission and the CEC as the reasons for the directive.

(via ANI)

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: BJP leader N V Subhash on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of attempting to build a political narrative ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

He alleged that the Congress was seeking to draw attention through its proposed rally in Delhi on November 1.

"Rahul Gandhi, once... once again, trying to rub on the wrong, you know, shoulders in order to have his political survival because of constant and consistent defeats in one election or the other. The upcoming assembly elections, which are being scheduled for next year in the five, five-state elections, a strong narrative has to be built," news agency ANI quoted the leader as saying.

He added, "That is what, you know, the Congress party is trying to do. On November 1, he's trying to hold a rally in Delhi, where many people have objected to it; they have asked him to, you know, reschedule. But sentiments of Sikhs, along with creating a provocative narrative in order to appease certain sections of the society—whether it is on an Indian platform or, you know, just an abroad platform, you know, the foreign... soil— somehow he wants to get it into the mainstream media."

Subhash further alleged that the Congress was relying on media attention to amplify its claims about democracy and the Constitution, while asserting that the party lacked sufficient grassroots support.

The BJP leader also claimed that the Congress had lost its organisational strength.

"Today there are no workers, the Congress party has lost its sheen, lost its, you know, the karyakartas because every time making anti-Indian statements, whether it's on Indian soil or in the foreign soil. The Congress party are not in favour of Rahul Gandhi because this kind of a false and narrative which he is just bringing to the society, which people, especially the youth, are feeling a threaten and then they are feeling a discomfort with, you know, Rahul Gandhi and especially INDIA alliance," he added.

(via ANI)

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: The opposition INDIA bloc is set to stage a “public impeachment” of CEC Gyanesh Kumar on October 30, followed by the announcement of a public verdict against him. The event, described as a “mock Parliament”, will take place at Hotel Ashok and is expected to bring together opposition MPs and senior leaders from across the bloc.

On November 1, the opposition will take its campaign to the streets with a ‘Dilli chalo march’ to Ramlila Maidan, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal announced had announced earlier. The bloc has billed the march as its “biggest” mobilisation against a alleged “vote chori”.

Earlier on Friday, Congress reviewed the preparations for the rally and asserted that such programmes will send a strong message that "we are united" in protecting democracy and driving the "vote chors" out of power.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Last week, the Delhi Police had granted permission to Congress for holding a demonstration at the Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi on November 1, and issued a no-objection certificate in this regard. In addition, the venue has been reserved by the party from October 25 to November 3, police said.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: The BJP took to X on Sunday to reply to the allegations made by the opposition INDIA bloc.

BJP listed the following:

1. “𝟏𝟑 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝”: Only flagged in the draft as dead, shifted, absent, or duplicate. Final rolls come after 20 lakh party agents verify. No eligible voter is removed without due process.

2. "𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡": Form unchanged. A simple declaration was added for convenience. Approved unanimously, upheld by the Supreme Court.

3. “𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝”: False. Fully decentralized. State rolls remain state-controlled.

4. “𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝”: 2.37 crore added since SIR began. 50,000+ daily, 365 days a year.

5. “𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰”: Major decisions are made by consensus of all three commissioners. Discussion isn't dissent.

6. “𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢”: No such thing. House-to-house verification, 20 lakh party agents watching, 100% webcasting.

7. “𝐂𝐄𝐂 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨”: Pre-2023, no law existed at all. The new system includes the opposition leader.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to postpone the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan until after November 10, citing disruption of business during Diwali season.

The opposition rally is aimed at ramping up pressure on the government over the "vote chori" issue and for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision exercise.

In a letter to Gandhi, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the rally could affect wholesale and retail markets around Ramlila Maidan at a time when traders expect heavy customer footfall, PTI news agency reported. Goyal said Delhi records business worth around ₹25,000 crore across sectors during this time.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: The demonstrations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar flared after an investigative report by The Indian Express that claimed Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions taken by the poll body. These included those linked to the SIR.

The Election Commission has rejected these allegations, saying that major decisions, including the SIR of electoral rolls, had been taken unanimously by the full commission.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: AISA president Neha Bora appeared before the special executive magistrate (SEM) at Mandir Marg Police Station on Saturday, a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed her plea challenging a police notice directing her to execute a ₹10,000 "peace bond" with one surety.

During the proceedings, the magistrate, following the high court's directions, provided Bora's counsel with the documents that formed the basis of the police allegation that there is a likelihood of breach of peace and gave her time to reply by October 29, her lawyer said.

Advocate Abhik Chimni said the defence would examine the material before responding to the notice at the next hearing.

(PTI)

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Congress leaders on Sunday staged a protest against the BJP government in Bhalessa raising serious concerns over the ongoing SIR of the electoral rolls, ANI reported.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Inviting people to join the rally against “vote chori”, Rahul Gandhi posted on X, “Our votes are being stolen, and we will not tolerate this quietly under any circumstances. Names have been removed from the voter lists. Rules and laws have been broken. And lathis have been used on those asking questions. Now the country will respond.”

Notifying location as Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, he said, “November 1 - Let's go to Delhi. Save the Vote - Save the Country Jan March and Mega Rally. Students, farmers, laborers, women, youth, and traders - anyone who cares about democracy must come. The vote is yours. The fight is also yours.”

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday called for the Election Commission of India to look into the thousands of affidavits gathered by his party concerning alleged electoral malpractices and irregularities.

In a post on X, he termed recent developments a “good start”. “Well, that's a good start—now perhaps the Election Commission will also take cognizance of the thousands of affidavits we've gathered regarding electoral malpractices and scams,” Yadav said.

Several discrepancies surfaced in the electoral rolls for the UP Legislative Council elections, with unusual entries found in voters’ names and their fathers’ details, PTI reported on Friday.

Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer Navdeep Rinwa acknowledged the discrepancies on Thursday. According to Rinwa, the errors represented a very small fraction of the total electorate and were largely linked to a software tool introduced for the online preparation of electoral rolls. He clarified that the system translated names instead of transliterating them from English into Hindi.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: The Congress has asserted that the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally in Delhi against "vote chori" will send a strong message that "we are united" in protecting democracy and driving the "vote chors" out of power.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: On the Congress rally planned for November 1 at Ramlila Maidan, Bengal minister Tapas Roy said, “Let them talk; it doesn't matter... You should also take note of the progress our country is making across every sector and department.”

“As Indians—and perhaps as nationalists—you must ensure that they do not succeed in their attempts to weaken the nation,” he told reporters on Saturday.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: KC Venugopal stated that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has contacted all INDIA bloc parties for their presence in Delhi on the two days. (October 30 and November 1).

On Saturday, the Congress leadership held internal meetings with heads of its frontal organisations and Delhi unit leaders and discussed plans to make the November 1 INDIA bloc rally and march at Ramlila grounds a grand success.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, replying to a user on X on Saturday, stated no bond could stop people from protesting.

“No bond bars our constitutional right to protest, unless ofcourse Paw-Paw is planning to change the Constitution,” Ranka said.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: AISA's Neha Bora said they would not sign a peace bond, as asked by the SEM court, while terming the evidence against them as “factually incorrect.”

“One of the grounds for making us sign a peace bond – in the notice it is written that you we went to CP and protested which breaches peace. The clarification is that Central Park call was not given by us. So the evidence is factually incorrect,” Bora told reporters on Saturday.

“They are alleging suspicion of peace breach – what is the basis? What proof do you have that the October 16 protest saw breach of peace? We do not even have a copy of the FIR or complaint. We are simply being told to execute a bond,” Bora claimed.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: On Saturday, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal posted on X about INDIA bloc's planned protests in the upcoming days.

"In our effort to save the Constitution and defeat the Vote Chors, INDIA bloc will be holding a crucial Public Impeachment proceeding on 30th October - where the public's verdict to remove the 'Vote Chor' CEC Gyanesh Kumar will be delivered loud and clear," Venugopal said on X.

"After this Public Impeachment, we will hold a 'Dilli Chalo March' against 'Vote Chori' culminating at Ramleela Maidan on November 1st, where at least a million concerned citizens will participate," he added.

Anti-SIR protest LIVE: Delhi Police have registered 57 first information reports (FIRs) over protests in the Capital demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar during October, with all the cases transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation.

The transfer follows a decision by senior police officers that all protest-related cases would be investigated by specialised units rather than district police, HT has learnt.

Crime Branch officers, who sought to remain anonymous, said they had started receiving case files and technical evidence relating to protests held in central Delhi between October 2 and 23. The branch has also begun analysing footage recorded by body cameras worn by Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel during the demonstrations.