NEW DELHI — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has turned down a meeting request from a 240-member delegation of INDIA bloc parliamentarians led by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, citing strict adherence to official venue protocols.
The rejection came after a day of intense political protests, during which opposition leaders marched toward the ECI headquarters seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over reported discrepancies in the Summary Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral rolls process.
Key Highlights of the Regulatory Standoff
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Venue Non-Compliance: The poll body clarified that official delegation meetings are conducted exclusively on ECI premises. A request conveyed via the Delhi Police to hold the discussion at the Parliament House Annexe was deemed “unusual” and officially declined.
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Alternative Proposal Turned Down: While the ECI offered to send its senior-most officer on duty to accept the opposition’s memorandum—an offer the commission noted was unprecedented—the opposition delegation refused the compromise.
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On-Ground Confrontation: Demonstrations near Parliament Street led to significant security cordons. Key opposition figures, including Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien, were briefly detained alongside other parliamentarians attempting to reach the poll body’s headquarters.
The administrative impasse highlights intensifying friction between opposition parties and the central election authority over electoral roll integrity and institutional protocol.
