The Congress party will hold a major protest rally in New Delhi on November 1 to demand the immediate withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The announcement was made by former Union Minister J.D. Seelam, an observer for the party's 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' campaign, during a press briefing in Kalaburagi.
According to reporting by The Hindu, the demonstration is scheduled to take place at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital. Party representatives alleged that the ongoing SIR process has led to the arbitrary deletion of eligible voters' names and unauthorized shifts of electors between different polling booths across several regions of the country.
Allegations Surrounding the Revision Process
Addressing reporters at the district Congress office, J.D. Seelam argued that election authorities have repeatedly failed to offer satisfactory explanations regarding reported deletions in the voter registers. Seelam questioned the current autonomy and impartiality of the Election Commission of India (ECI), criticizing recent changes to the commissioner appointment mechanisms and expressing concern over legal hurdles in holding top electoral officials accountable for procedural lapses.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Gopinath Palaniappan echoed these concerns, alleging that top ECI officials were acting with political bias. Palaniappan also raised questions regarding data privacy and transparency in managing voter rolls, alleging that booth-level modifications were implemented without proper public scrutiny.
Photographic Documentation
Planned November — verified documentary press visual.
Campaign Timeline and Core Demands
The November 1 rally serves as an escalation of earlier demonstrations organized by the party. The leadership confirmed that a grassroots 'Save Democracy' initiative ran between October 2 and October 8, which is now expanding into village-level agitations across multiple states alongside the demand for the CEC's resignation.
In addition to seeking the withdrawal of the revision drive, Seelam called for a return to physical ballot papers in Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assembly elections, noting that paper ballots remain standard practice across numerous local panchayat and municipal body polls.
| Phase / Event | Date | Key Focus / Actions Reported |
|---|---|---|
| 'Save Democracy' Campaign | October 2–8 | Grassroots outreach raising concerns on democratic institutions |
| Press Briefing Announcement | October 26 | Former Union Minister J.D. Seelam announces Delhi agitation in Kalaburagi |
| National Demonstration | November 1 | Mass rally scheduled at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi, targeting SIR and ECI leadership |
| Electoral Reform Proposal | Ongoing | Demand to scrap SIR exercise and reintroduce physical paper ballots for major polls |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Congress party protesting on November 1?
The Congress party is protesting to demand the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list discrepancies.
Where will the November 1 demonstration take place?
The protest rally is organized to take place at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, following an announcement made during a party briefing in Kalaburagi.
What specific issues did party leaders highlight regarding voter rolls?
Congress representatives alleged that legitimate voters' names were deleted from voter rolls and voters were improperly shifted between polling booths during the SIR exercise without clear explanations from authorities.
