New Delhi – Opposition Members of Parliament in India, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, staged a march to the Election Commission headquarters on Monday, accusing the poll body of facilitating “vote theft” to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The protest began at the Makar Dwar of Parliament around 11:30 am, with MPs carrying multilingual posters denouncing alleged electoral malpractice. The march, which aimed to reach the EC’s headquarters at Nirvachan Sadan, was stopped midway near the Press Trust of India (PTI) office on Parliament Street.
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Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned earlier in the day as Opposition MPs demanded a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls — a move they claim is being used to manipulate voter lists ahead of upcoming elections.
Rahul Gandhi recently accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP, citing data suggesting that nearly 100,000 voters were listed in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of Bangalore Central, where the BJP’s candidate won. The Congress leader alleged this was part of a systematic effort to tilt electoral outcomes in the ruling party’s favor.
The Opposition has also been protesting against similar alleged voter roll irregularities in Bihar. The government, however, has resisted calls for a parliamentary debate on the matter, citing procedural rules and precedent.
Wearing caps and chanting slogans against the Election Commission, Opposition MPs carried banners demanding the cancellation of the SIR and an end to what they called “vote chori” (vote theft).