Meira Kumar leads INDIA bloc's public impeachment of CEC as Delhi prepares for mega rally

UPDATE - follow-up to INDIA bloc to hold 'public impeachment' of CEC Gyanesh Kumar; Delhi's Ramlila Maidan gears up for Nov. 1 rally | LIVE: The INDIA bloc began its symbolic public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Rajaji Marg in New Delhi, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar chairing the proceedings.

March and Rally

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi announced that opposition parties will hold a Chalo Dilli march on November 1 from the Minto Road and Connaught Place junction in central Delhi to Ramlila Maidan. A mega rally will be held there against alleged vote theft through the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, while pressing for the CEC's resignation. Mr. Gandhi accused the Home Minister of trying to block people from reaching Delhi, a claim rejected as a lie by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Reactions and Criticisms

Chhattisgarh Congress leader Charandas Mahant claimed the BJP is destroying democracy by stealing votes. CPI leader D. Raja said the rally will send a message to Prime Minister Modi that the country cannot be ruled this way. JMM MP Mahua Maji stated civil society members and voters whose names were deleted will attend. Congress MP Pawan Khera clarified the event is a public impeachment and not a mock parliament. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra expected more than 10 lakh people to gather. Meanwhile, the Vishva Hindu Parishad questioned the timing of a political rally during Diwali festivities, noting that Rahul Gandhi's earlier Bharat Jodo Yatra took a nine-day break for Christmas and New Year. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said pleas from traders and Hindu society to cancel or postpone the event were ignored.

Traffic and Security

Tight security was deployed outside Mr. Kharge's residence. Delhi Police announced traffic restrictions and diversions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 1 across major central Delhi junctions, including ITO, Delhi Gate, Ajmeri Gate, and Rajghat. Commuters face heavy congestion warnings on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Minto Road, and Barakhamba Road. Haryana Congress units in Karnal, Panipat, and Sonipat also held planning meetings to ensure high state participation.

Context

The special intensive revision of electoral rolls is a detailed administrative process undertaken by election authorities to update voter lists by verifying eligible voters and removing entries for individuals who have shifted or passed away. Opposition parties frequently scrutinize such exercises when they suspect voter disenfranchisement or administrative bias.