Thousands protest in Delhi against voter roll revision
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Sowetan
Illustrative image · Ganesh Adyapady · Pexels · Licence PexelsThousands demonstrated in New Delhi demanding the resignation of India’s election commission chief, whom the opposition accuses of altering voter rolls to benefit the ruling party. Led by Rahul Gandhi, the rally is part of protests that began more than a month ago, Sowetan reports.
Thousands of people demonstrated in New Delhi on Sunday to demand the resignation of the head of India’s Election Commission, following the revision of electoral rolls. The mobilisation was led by Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress Party, who accuses the revision of favouring the BJP, the Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Sowetan.
The protesters marched from the centre of the capital towards Ramlila Maidan, where opposition parties had announced a mass rally. The authorities deployed hundreds of security officers and planned traffic diversions. The Election Commission says voters removed by mistake can register again, while the BJP accuses the opposition of wrongly challenging legitimate electoral procedures.
The revision removed more than 130 million names, more than the population of Japan. Opposition parties say the deletions disproportionately affected Muslim voters and other minorities. Analysts cited by Sowetan say the demonstrations represent the biggest crisis Narendra Modi has faced since coming to power in 2014, as the next legislative elections are scheduled for 2029.
