Congress leader KC Venugopal announced a nationwide protest march in Delhi on Monday, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and urged citizens concerned about democracy to join.
The call comes amid accusations that the Election Commission has been weaponised to manipulate votes, and that a Special Intensive Revision exercise has purged millions of voters from the rolls.
Earlier Saturday, Delhi Police blocked a protest at Jantar Mantar, detaining hundreds of supporters and cutting internet links across the capital. Mamata Banerjee was among those detained.
Banerjee described her detention as kidnapping, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged her to stay in Delhi. Other opposition figures such as Arvind Kejriwal and Pinarayi Vijayan were also briefly held.
A delegation of senior Congress leaders will submit a memorandum to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India requesting intervention, as the opposition vows to proceed with the march despite police restrictions.