Government sources on Friday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's assertion that President Droupadi Murmu had accepted the Opposition's allegations of electoral fraud. The sources termed Gandhi's claim as incorrect and expressed regret that the President was being drawn into a controversy.
This rebuttal followed a meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan where a 10-member delegation from the INDIA bloc met President Murmu. The delegation submitted a memorandum demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls.
After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, stated he was “shocked” that President Murmu did not deny or question the Opposition’s claims of “vote theft.” He further claimed that the President had accepted their allegations, only asking for evidence to be submitted.
However, government sources directly contradicted Gandhi’s account. “The claims being made by the Leader of the Opposition are incorrect. It is unfortunate that the President is being dragged into a controversy in the matter,” the sources clarified.
During the nearly hour-long meeting, President Murmu reportedly asked the Opposition leaders to provide concrete evidence to support their allegations. She assured the delegation that she would examine the matter thoroughly once the evidence was submitted.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, a member of the delegation, indicated a positive view of the President’s response. She stated that the delegation would compile and submit the requested evidence. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also affirmed that the President listened to their concerns and promised to consult relevant parties before deciding on a course of action. Kharge reiterated the Opposition's demand for elections to be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Opposition Marches for Democracy
Prior to their meeting with the President, INDIA bloc MPs staged a “Save Democracy” march from Parliament House towards Rashtrapati Bhavan. The march was halted at Vijay Chowk by police barricades, leading several Opposition leaders to stage a sit-in while the 10-member delegation proceeded to meet the President.
Key Demands of the INDIA Bloc
- Immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- Suspension of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Restoration of approximately 13.8 crore names allegedly removed from electoral rolls.
- Conducting future elections via ballot papers.
The Opposition's intensified campaign against the Election Commission follows a report by The Indian Express, which highlighted objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi concerning decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has maintained that differing views are normal in institutional deliberations and that its orders adhere to established statutory procedures.