India: Opposition Parties Protest Against Chief Election Commissioner Over Vote Theft Allegations

After two days of protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Congress party has announced a countrywide protest today. They have also called it a black day for democracy. The opposition alleges that the names of nearly 13 crore voters across the country have been deleted from the electoral rolls under the SIR process. They are calling it vote theft. The opposition parties are demanding the annulment of the process, restoration of the deleted names and resignation of the CEC. The Delhi Police have increased security by barricading Parliament Street, Akashvani Bhawan and Jantar Mantar area. Traffic is said to be normal. The opposition has announced a countrywide protest. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is also preparing to protest at Jantar Mantar on 10 October. Around 260 protesters were detained by the Delhi Police on Tuesday during a march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters and a sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan. All Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were released by the Congress President on Wednesday.