Tens of thousands rally in Delhi demanding India's election chief resign after 130 million names are cut from voter rolls

L2Who’s affected

Voters who may have been wrongly removed. The Commission says the purge targets duplicates, the dead, people who moved, and other ineligible voters, and those wrongly excluded can apply to be restored. Delhi lawyer Deepro Guha: "If people's names are removed without any explanation, there is a problem." Isha, a development professional: "We don't even know if this is a people's mandate or a stolen mandate."

L3Why it’s quiet

Analysis · OVERLOOKED Indian electoral administration is technical and slow-moving, and the rally happened two days before the U.S. midterms.

L4Deeper impact

BJP minister JP Nadda called the rally a "calculated conspiracy to plunge the nation into anarchy - in the name of democracy." Police required organisers to finish by 5pm, install CCTV and stay on the grounds. On Oct 10, several CJP leaders were detained and BBC reporters saw police beating some demonstrators with batons. The Commission can only be removed through a formal parliamentary process, so Saturday's mock impeachment had no legal standing.

L5Full context

In September The Indian Express reported that Kumar made key decisions on the revision despite repeated objections from the two other election commissioners; the Commission said disagreements are normal. Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party backed the rally but stayed away to keep its independence, its founder Abhijeet Dipke said. Last month Gandhi led a march from Connaught Place to the Supreme Court. The INDIA bloc formed in 2023 to take on Modi's BJP.

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