Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, led a march of INDIA bloc leaders to the Supreme Court on Monday to file a petition seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to The Hindu. The move followed the refusal of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to grant Gandhi a meeting, with sources telling The Hindu that the request was declined because the issues involved are already before the court and because the judiciary cannot intervene in the administrative functioning of the state.
Speaking to reporters at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, Gandhi said the Chief Justice had directed the Opposition to file a petition, and that bloc leaders would accompany him to the court to do so. The INDIA bloc march was scheduled to assemble at the C.P. Barakhamba intersection in Connaught Place at 1:30 p.m. before proceeding to the court.
Why it matters
The confrontation places the country's top election official at the centre of a widening political dispute over the integrity of the electoral process. The Election Commission of India oversees the machinery of national elections, and demands for the CEC's resignation from an alliance of opposition parties raise questions about institutional credibility at a time when public trust in electoral administration is being openly contested. The dispute has also drawn in the judiciary, the Kerala state legislature and police forces in at least two cities, turning a demand for one official's exit into a broader test of how India's institutions handle accusations against those who run its elections.
Gandhi's remarks and the demand for resignation
Gandhi told reporters that Gyanesh Kumar had made an error but described him as the mind behind it, and said the Opposition was pursuing those behind the mistake rather than the official alone. He called on Kumar to step down, saying resignation would be a service to the nation and the Constitution, and suggested the Opposition might even consider forgiving him if he did so.
The Congress leader accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of deploying thousands of police personnel to block the protest, saying the Opposition was only asking for proof that the Prime Minister had not cheated in elections. He claimed there had been no denial from the office of the President of India, while the Prime Minister's office had issued a quiet denial. He did not present evidence for these assertions during the press interaction.
Gandhi framed the agitation as a fight for the country's future rather than a street-level struggle, saying the Opposition was contesting for what he called the heart of the Indian people. He told supporters that anyone prevented from attending in person because of professional obligations could take part in whatever way they could, and urged young people to continue until the Constitution is upheld, the Chief Election Commissioner is removed, the election system is overhauled and justice is delivered. He also invited members of the BJP who believe the Constitution is under attack to join the march.
In further remarks, Gandhi said the resistance did not begin five days ago but years earlier, and that the Opposition had been questioning and resisting for a long time. He said even the two other Election Commissioners had asked why Kumar had not resigned, and claimed that police personnel had their own doubts about why they were protecting him. He also alleged that workers affiliated with the BJP and the RSS were attacking women and young people. These claims have not been independently verified.
Kerala assembly resolution and police action
In Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution calling for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner and for measures to improve transparency in how the Election Commission functions. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and backed by both the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front and the opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. BJP members objected to its contents and put forward amendments, which were voted down.
The assembly expressed serious concern about the accusations made against the Election Commission, noting that free, transparent and impartial elections and universal adult franchise form the foundation of Indian democracy. It stated that in circumstances where serious doubts have been raised about the commission's impartiality, removing the CEC is necessary to restore the institution's credibility.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Police detained a number of people who had gathered near Shivaji Park in Dadar to demand Kumar's resignation. According to protesters, officers were stationed at several entry points around the park and several people were taken into custody before they could join the demonstration. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced on X that entry and exit at six metro stations would remain closed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday because of the Opposition's march to the Supreme Court.
Political reactions and what to watch
Shashi Tharoor, a Congress leader, said ahead of the march that the government would fall, according to The Times of India. The petition to the Supreme Court follows the Chief Justice's decision not to meet the Opposition delegation, a refusal that NDTV reported was accompanied by the observation that the doors of the Supreme Court remain open.
The next steps rest with the Supreme Court, which must now consider the petition filed by the INDIA bloc. Also worth watching is whether the Kerala resolution prompts similar moves in other states, whether the detentions in Mumbai lead to further protests, and whether the Chief Election Commissioner responds to the calls for his resignation.
