CPI holds Delhi protest demanding Chief Election Commissioner's exit over voter list changes

The Communist Party of India organised a human chain protest in New Delhi on October 27, 2026, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the rollback of the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls.

Protest Details

The protest stretched from the party headquarters Ajoy Bhawan to ITO. Party leaders alleged that the revision exercise, also known as SIR, led to the loss of voting rights for citizens. Addressing the crowd, CPI general secretary D. Raja stated that Mr. Kumar had lost public trust and that his continuation in office threatened the credibility of elections.

Broader Demands

The party also criticized the removal of Jantar Mantar as an official protest site and demanded its reopening, arguing that the closure limits democratic dissent. Several prominent leaders joined the demonstration, including Amarjeet Kaur, P. Sandosh Kumar, Rama Krushna Panda, Girish Sharma, Annie Raja, K. Prakash Babu, K. Ramakrishna, MP P.P. Suneer, Dinesh Varshney, Nisha Sidhu, and Rajan Kshirsagar.

Context

Public demonstrations and political demands for changes in election administration often arise during major revisions of voter lists. Such protests typically focus on ensuring that eligible citizens are not left off official electoral rolls before major voting exercises take place.