Thousands rally in Delhi after 130 million voter names were cut
Why it matters: The opposition says the voter-roll overhaul could tilt future elections toward Narendra Modi’s BJP.
Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in New Delhi on Sunday to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after a voter-list revision removed more than 130 million names from draft rolls. The rally at Ramlila Maidan was organized by the INDIA bloc and led by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party, with senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav attending. Opposition parties argue the Special Intensive Revision unfairly strips eligible voters, including minorities, from the rolls and benefits the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission rejects that charge and says the exercise is meant to remove dead, moved or otherwise ineligible voters.