Thousands Rally in Delhi Call for Election Chief’s Resignation Over EVM Concerns

Thousands of demonstrators from northern states gathered at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, pressing for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after alleging flaws in the electoral roll revision and the ongoing use of electronic voting machines.

What Happened

The INDIA bloc organised a "Chalo Delhi" march that started at 11 a.m. with MPs assembling at the Constitution Club, then moving at noon from the Minto Road‑Connaught Place junction toward the Maidan. Protesters shouted slogans such as "Vote chor, gaddi chhod" and demanded that paper ballots replace EVMs.

Reactions

Baljinder Singh, a participant from Firozpur, said vehicles were stranded overnight on the Punjab‑Haryana corridor because police blocked the route, claiming more than ten lakh people were mobilised for the rally. He accused the ruling party of fearing Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA alliance, saying the only way to silence them is to force the election chief to quit. Panna Lal Sharma, travelling from Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand Congress secretary Madanpal Singh both voiced opposition to paper‑less voting, urging a return to ballot papers and accusing the commission of endangering democracy under Kumar’s watch. From Himachal Pradesh, protesters highlighted broader worries about civic rights, youth issues and alleged exam‑paper leaks. Gulab Singh warned of student injustices, while Gaurav Sharma blamed the central government for meddling with democratic rights, insisting that unsafe votes threaten the nation’s safety.

Context

The protest reflects growing distrust of electronic voting and the election authority’s roll‑cleaning exercise, a sentiment that has intensified after several opposition parties claimed the process favoured the ruling coalition.