Gyanesh Kumar row highlights: INDIA bloc MPs to march to Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow, no appointment with President yet

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CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The INDIA bloc is preparing to intensify its campaign against Gyanesh Kumar, with a major rally planned at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1. The bloc has also announced marches from Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Constitution Day, along with rallies outside Delhi and plans to approach the judiciary seeking faster hearings in cases linked to SIR. Congress MP Pawan Khera said the demand for Kumar’s resignation had now become a demand of the country.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The Opposition’s campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar intensified after a report in The Indian Express highlighted 14 objections raised by the two Election Commissioners over the past 10 months concerning decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). On September 30, 20 INDIA bloc constituents met at Constitution Club and announced a six-point programme demanding Kumar’s removal.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar hit back at the Congress over its allegations against the Modi government, accusing the party of having undermined democratic institutions when it was in power. He also contrasted past allegations of booth capturing and electoral violence with elections held under the current government, asking Congress to cite instances of booth capturing in recent polls.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The BJP has accused Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of misconduct with police personnel during Thursday’s protest. BJP National Media Co-Convenor Sidharth Yadav alleged that Rahul Gandhi inappropriately touched a woman police officer and that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra elbowed another woman officer. The allegations were made at a BJP press conference in New Delhi.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The Opposition’s campaign against Gyanesh Kumar is no longer confined to the national capital. The Samajwadi Party held a march in Basti, while RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani joined protests in Patna. In Jammu, Congress workers demonstrated over FIRs filed against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Samajwadi Party MPs returned to the Opposition protest on Thursday, providing a boost to INDIA bloc unity after the party stayed away from Wednesday’s march to Jantar Mantar. The mobilisation also spread beyond Delhi, with protests reported in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu over the demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s removal.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the government during Thursday’s mobilisation, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar had undermined the Constitution and electoral democracy. He said the Opposition would continue its fight and claimed those responsible would eventually be “brought to justice”.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Before the MPs left for Rajghat, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP government of “snatching away” citizens’ right to vote. He said the INDIA bloc would peacefully pray at the Gandhi Memorial and invoked Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel while framing the protest as a fight to protect democratic rights.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra emerged as the prominent faces of the Opposition’s latest mobilisation against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Around 300 INDIA bloc MPs travelled towards Rajghat under heavy Delhi Police security, accompanied by a large gathering of Congress workers, youth and student activists.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The Opposition’s campaign seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal entered its third consecutive day on Thursday, with INDIA bloc MPs travelling to Rajghat to stage a dharna. The move came after protests near the Election Commission office and a planned march to Jantar Mantar were stopped over the previous two days.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Leaving Rajghat, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy demanded the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and said, “Vacate your throne, Modi ji; otherwise the public will make you do that.” He also called for “Sampoorn Kranti”.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Leaving from Raj Ghat, Congress MP Pawan Khera says, "We came here to gain strength. We came here seeking blessings of Gandhi ji, that we may protest peacefully and succeed; may wisdom prevail on Gyanesh Kumar so that he resigns, may wisdom prevail on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah so that they quit misdeeds and do something good for once in their life. Our 'satyagraha' will continue in a non-violent manner. We will continue to fight until Gyanesh Kumar resigns and democracy is safeguarded in this country." (ANI)

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is arriving in Delhi today and is expected to join the Opposition MPs’ march to Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi leaves from Raj Ghat after paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The INDIA bloc is set to march to Rashtrapati Bhavan from Rajghat as part of its protest. The leaders are yet to get an appointment with the President.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: At Rajghat, CPI(M) leader John Brittas said the INDIA bloc’s protest would continue tomorrow as well. He said the protest would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar submits his resignation.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: At Rajghat, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the country was united in demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “bow before the nation” and listen to what he described as the voice of the country, while alleging that elections were being won through “deceit” with the help of the Election Commission.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Traffic restrictions have been imposed around Rajghat amid the ongoing INDIA bloc protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. According to the Delhi Traffic Police, restrictions on buses, including DTC buses, and heavy goods vehicles will remain in force until 10 pm on Thursday. Vehicles will face restrictions at Chatta Rail, NS Marg–Subhash T-Point and Shanti Van Chowk, with commuters advised to take alternative routes and follow diversions directed by traffic personnel. The traffic police have also urged motorists to keep intersections clear and give way to emergency vehicles.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Liquor stores in Delhi will remain closed on October 9 and 10, with the government set to issue an order to this effect.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: More than 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s October 10 protest, a senior officer said on Thursday. (PTI)

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: On the INDIA bloc MPs’ protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar accused the Opposition of having “trampled upon the Constitution” when it was in power and alleged that the pre-Modi era was marked by ballot-box looting, violence and booth capturing. Gurjar said the Modi government operates on democratic values and alleged that the Opposition wants to bring back the era of ballot-box looting.

“Recall the time before Modi ji. Whether it was Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, or other states, ballot boxes used to be looted. Bullets used to fly, and unarmed people were killed just to instil fear...Since the Modi ji government came to power—and with this very Election Commission in place—elections have been held in Bihar, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. Was there a single instance of a re-poll at any booth? Was there any allegation of booth capturing anywhere in the country? They want to bring back that same era when ballot boxes used to be looted,” he said. (ANI)

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress party of fighting against “We, the People of India” and alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi-Vadra family were attacking democratic institutions after failing to come to power democratically. He also accused Congress workers of “hooliganism” and alleged that the party was disregarding constitutional authorities and the Supreme Court. (ANI)

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: UP Congress state president Aradhana Mishra (Mona), along with party workers, was detained by police while staging a protest against Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged vote theft and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls near the party office in Lucknow on Thursday.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The bus carrying Congress chief and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc leaders arrived at Rajghat.