Indian Opposition Marches to Supreme Court Over Voter List Purge
Opposition parties protest the removal of over 130 million voters, alleging political motivation favoring the ruling party.
NEW DELHI -- India's opposition parties marched toward the Supreme Court on Monday to protest a purge of voter lists that they claim favors Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. The action follows a weekend crackdown in which police detained thousands of activists.
Opposition lawmakers and supporters intend to submit a petition to the chief justice, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protests, led by the “Cockroach” youth movement, have intensified since election authorities began revising voter lists last year. More than 130 million voters have been removed.
Critics argue the process is politically motivated and risks disenfranchising eligible voters. However, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission deny allegations of manipulation, stating the revision is necessary to remove duplicate and ineligible names.
Authorities closed six metro stations in the capital on Monday and warned of traffic disruptions ahead of the march. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party characterized the growing protests as a defense of the constitution.
"We will not back down," Gandhi told reporters in New Delhi. Over the weekend, police detained thousands of demonstrators in the capital, including leaders of the “Cockroach” movement. Previous protests organized by the group led to the resignation of Modi’s education minister in July.
Modi has not publicly addressed the protests. Leaders from his party have dismissed the demonstrations, with some labeling the activists as "anarchists."