AISA’s National President Neha Bora fired a volley of accusations against Election Commission of India (ECI) during the November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan. The students demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar step down after the controversial Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls (SIR) that, according to the association, purged thousands of eligible voters. The organisers said the SIR had violated the principle that voters choose the government, not the other way around.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) echoed AISA’s stance on Wednesday, branding the SIR as a ‘serious violation’ that eroded the credibility of the election machinery. In a statement, CJP leaders cited the framers of the Constitution—B. R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru—who had envisioned universal adult franchise, arguing that the current exercise was a betrayal of that mandate. "By undermining this principle, Gyanesh Kumar has lost the trust required to oversee free and fair elections," the party said.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard the ECI’s affidavits and its responses to the questions raised by the students and the CJP. The court’s inquiry focused on whether the SIR had indeed led to the exclusion of eligible voters. The ECI’s representative defended the process as a ‘necessary corrective measure’ but admitted that certain errors needed correction.
For many students and ordinary voters, the debate has become personal. A 27‑year‑old engineering student from Jaipur, who had been denied a voter ID after the SIR, said the rally gave him hope that his voice might finally be heard. He added that the protests have rekindled a sense of agency among a generation that feels sidelined by bureaucratic overreach.
The Supreme Court scheduled a follow‑up hearing for Thursday, during which the CEC will face the possibility of a forced resignation if the court finds the SIR unlawful. AISA says its supporters will keep marching until Gyanesh Kumar steps down, arguing that the integrity of Indian democracy hinges on a trustworthy election commission.