Purna Singh New Delhi

TheINDIA bloc on Wednesday announced a joint campaign demanding greater transparency in electoral rolls and the election process, including five rallies in October-November and nationwide demonstrations.

The dates and venues will be finalised soon, with a major rally scheduled in Delhi on November 1. The parties also agreed on a common action plan on electoral issues.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded greater transparency in changes to electoral rolls, including constituency- and booth-level details of additions, deletions and corrections. He also sought notice and an appeal mechanism before voter names are removed.

Kharge and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Kharge also demanded replacing EVM voting with ballot papers and restoring the voter list prepared before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

“Save Democracy Marches” will be held across the country from October 2 to 8, with district-level protests. Opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission on October 6 and seek an appointment with the President.

Rahul Gandhi said INDIA bloc leaders were committed to accountability over what they described as threats to democracy and constitutional rights. The meeting followed reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections multiple times over decisions related to the SIR exercise. The Election Commission has maintained that differences during institutional deliberations are normal and that its orders have legal validity.

The BJP rejected the opposition’s approach and questioned the INDIA bloc’s organisational strength and cohesion. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain described the meeting as a “flop show” and claimed that the opposition grouping had neither a formal office nor a president or convenor. “There is no such thing as the I.N.D.I.A Alliance,” Hussain said, alleging that the grouping lacked a clear policy and leadership structure. He also claimed that the number of parties associated with the alliance was declining with each meeting.

The BJP said the outcomes of the INDIA meeting were "zero vision, 100 per cent frustration, and an advance excuse for poll defeats", with the leaders of the opposition grouping rejecting Rahul's leadership.