President Murmu yet to meet INDIA bloc over Election Commission concerns; Brittas' SIR petition sent to legislative department

INDIA bloc leaders have not yet received any response from President Droupadi Murmu’s office to their request for a meeting on Election Commission concerns. The opposition coalition had proposed a 15‑member delegation, one representative from each of its top fifteen parties, and suggested meeting dates of Oct 7, 8 or 9. Sources say the President’s secretariat informally asked that the delegation be cut to ten members; the bloc agreed but still awaits confirmation. Separately, CPI(M) MP John Brittas sent a letter to President Murmu on Sep 23 asking for urgent constitutional intervention in the Election Commission’s special intensive revision (SIR) exercise, for progress on pending proceedings to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, and for Union government support before the Supreme Court to declare the SIR void ab initio. On Oct 7 the President’s secretariat forwarded the petition to the Legislative Department, marked a copy to Brittas and described it as “self‑explanatory”. Brittas quoted the response, saying the constitutional questions cannot be ignored and calling for Gyanesh Kumar to quit immediately. Both the bloc’s meeting request and Brittas’s petition highlight ongoing opposition concerns about the ECI’s functioning ahead of upcoming elections. ## Context The Election Commission’s SIR exercise involves a large‑scale update of voter lists; disputes over its legality can affect election credibility. Requests for presidential intervention are rare and usually signal serious constitutional disagreement.