The INDIA bloc, comprising the Congress, Trinamool Congress, RJD and Samajwadi parties, converged in Delhi on October 11, 2023, to submit a memorandum to Chief Justice Surya Kant demanding a probe into the 2023 law that shields the Chief Election Commissioner from accountability.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president, warned that the immunity granted to the CEC “has paved the way for vote theft, EVM manipulation and electoral fraud.” He cited the Supreme Court’s earlier direction to restore normalcy and bar illegal detentions as a backdrop for the legal battle.
Earlier this month, the bloc’s protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission office had been met with the detention of key leaders, including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. Police reports noted that over 30,000 officers and 7,000 paramilitary troops were deployed in Delhi to contain the demonstrations, and about 3,000 protesters were arrested during a sit‑in at Rajghat.
Surya Kant declined to meet the opposition leaders, insisting that they file a petition instead. The memorandum, drafted with input from the CJI’s office, will detail allegations of illegal detentions, exclusion of the Chief Justice from the CEC selection process, and alleged manipulation through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).
The opposition has already met President Droupadi Murmu and urged lawmakers to remain in Delhi. The next step is a formal filing of the petition with the Supreme Court, which is expected to schedule a hearing within the next fortnight.
The protest movement reflects growing discontent over alleged electoral malpractices, with ordinary voters in Delhi’s slums fearing that their ballots may be tampered with. The Supreme Court’s decision will be watched closely by political analysts and the public alike.