Congress Alleges Government Blocked INDIA Bloc Event Against Election Commissioner

The Congress party has accused the Central government of blocking the INDIA bloc's planned public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Party leaders say permission for the October 30 event was cancelled at two locations due to police intervention.

Venugopal's Allegations

Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal stated that the government-run Ashok Hotel initially approved the programme but withdrew permission after police pressure. Organisers then planned to shift the event to Ramlila Maidan, where the party already holds a booking from October 25 to November 3. However, police reportedly stopped workers from setting up equipment there. Mr. Venugopal claimed the decision came directly from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to protect the Chief Election Commissioner. He warned that if blocked further, party members would stage a massive sit-in protest outside the homes of the Prime Minister and Home Minister.

Police Response

Delhi Police officials stated they received no specific request for a mock impeachment event. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rohit Rajbir Singh clarified that permission was granted solely for a political rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This approval comes with strict conditions, including mandatory CCTV surveillance, crowd control measures, traffic management, and a ban on any march outside the venue. Organisers must also submit attendee lists and ensure no inflammatory speeches are made.

Background and Context

Twenty-one parties belonging to the INDIA opposition alliance planned the mock impeachment as a lead-up to their November 1 mega rally protesting alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Before settling on Ramlila Maidan and the Ashok Hotel, organisers attempted to book several other venues including Talkatora Stadium, Constitution Club, Mavlankar Hall, and the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, but failed to secure permissions or bookings for those locations.

Context

Political disputes over venue permissions for opposition rallies and events are common in the national capital, where major public spaces require clearances from both land-owning agencies and local law enforcement. The Election Commission of India operates as an autonomous body responsible for conducting free and fair elections across the country, making its leadership a frequent focal point for political debate between the ruling coalition and opposition parties.