Protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have intensified due to alleged irregularities in India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. On October 12, 2026, Rahul Gandhi and INDIA alliance leaders marched to the Supreme Court in New Delhi, calling for electoral transparency after reports that about 130 million names were removed from voter lists.
The Election Commission insists it is committed to ensuring no eligible voter is excluded. The BJP explains the removals as a result of deaths, relocation, duplicate entries, and untraceable voters. Police detentions of protesters have raised concerns from the United Nations Human Rights Office, but India's government has rejected this criticism as interference in its internal affairs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended India as the “mother of democracy,” emphasizing the importance of open debate. Experts say the protests do not currently threaten national stability but warn that harsh police actions could escalate public anger, increase demonstrations, and further erode trust in electoral institutions.
