After Venue Hurdles, INDIA Bloc to Hold Gyanesh Kumar ‘Public Impeachment’ at Kharge’s Home

The INDIA bloc will hold its planned “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s official residence in New Delhi on October 30, after alleged permission hurdles derailed attempts to organise the event at two other venues.

The residence at 10, Rajaji Marg has been finalised for the event, which opposition parties intend to use as a curtain-raiser for their November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan. The INDIA bloc has been protesting against Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged electoral irregularities.

Congress leaders had initially planned to hold the programme at the government-run Ashok Hotel. However, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal alleged that permission was withdrawn after police intervention. The party then sought to shift the event to Ramlila Maidan, where it had booked the grounds from October 25 to November 3.

Venugopal also alleged that police stopped workers from setting up infrastructure at the ground, raising questions about the arrangements for the opposition's planned events.

Accusing the government of trying to silence criticism, he alleged that the restrictions reflected a political decision rather than an independent move by the Delhi Police. He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of protecting the chief election commissioner.

“Come what may, we will not rest until Modi-Shah's puppet Gyanesh Kumar is removed,” Venugopal said in a post on X, reiterating the Congress's demand for Kumar's removal.

The October 30 programme is part of a broader campaign by the Congress and other opposition parties against the election commission's handling of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc has accused the poll machinery of irregularities under the SIR exercise, allegations that have become a major point of political confrontation.

With the public event now shifted to Kharge's residence, opposition parties are preparing for the November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan, where they plan to intensify their campaign over the “vote chori” allegations and electoral transparency.