Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. He called it the first step towards restoring India's democratic institutions. Gandhi addressed a major INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday. He strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of “vote chori (theft)”. He said the Opposition would hold them accountable. He also warned that Kumar would eventually “go to jail”. “The first step to bring back country on right track will be to remove Gyanesh Kumar,” Gandhi said. The INDIA bloc organised the rally to protest against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Opposition also accused the poll body of deleting large numbers of voters from electoral rolls. However, the BJP and the Election Commission have rejected these allegations.

Rahul Gandhi Warns Modi and Shah of Legal Action

Gandhi responded to Amit Shah's earlier defence of Prime Minister Modi. He said the Opposition would take legal action over the alleged electoral manipulation and demand justice for voters. “Amit Shah says Narendra Modi will not go anywhere. We are saying we will not let him go anywhere. We will take legal action against you and country will seek justice for this vote chori,” Gandhi said. He said the campaign did not target any leader out of personal hatred. Instead, he described it as an effort to protect the Constitution and democratic rights. He stressed that every Indian citizen must have a voice. “We do not hate Narendra Modi, Amit Shah or Gyanesh Kumar. We are people who open the shop of love, not hatred. We are people of non-violence…But the voice of every citizen of India is more important to me, even more important than religion. That is my religion,” he said. Gandhi also warned that the people accused of electoral wrongdoing would face legal action. “You will not be able to run anywhere. You will remain here. Action will take against you, Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar.” The rally followed an INDIA bloc mock parliamentary session on October 31. Opposition leaders held the session to question CEC Gyanesh Kumar's conduct. They raised six allegations against him.

Rahul Gandhi Questions 2024 Lok Sabha Election Results

Gandhi accused the BJP of benefiting from alleged electoral manipulation over several years. He questioned the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and several state assembly polls. He alleged that the BJP benefited from manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and electoral rolls. He also accused Gyanesh Kumar of suppressing voters' voices. Gandhi reiterated that the CEC would face accountability for his alleged role in electoral irregularities. "Gyanesh Kumar will be removed as CEC, he will go to jail," Gandhi said. He added that the campaign represented people across different sections of society. He said it went beyond the interests of any single political party or leader. "This is not voice of one party or leader; this is voice of India's youth, women, farmers, workers," he added.

Amit Shah Criticises INDIA Bloc's November 1 Rally

Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to Gandhi's criticism during a public gathering in Chandigarh on Sunday. He questioned the INDIA bloc's decision to hold its rally in Delhi on November 1. The date marks the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "Rahul Gandhi's November 1 'jalsa' in Delhi will only rub salt in wounds of anti-Sikh riot victims," Shah said. Shah recalled the violence that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. Thousands of Sikhs died during the riots. Delhi witnessed some of the worst violence.

Shah Accuses Congress of Insensitivity Towards Riot Victims

The Home Minister blamed the Congress for the violence. He also accused the party of showing insensitivity towards the victims by holding a political rally on the anniversary. Shah also mocked Gandhi's ambition to become Prime Minister. He questioned his chances of reaching the country's top political office. “If you want to become PM, stay in mock parliament your entire life; your turn won't come.”

INDIA Bloc Holds Mock Parliament Against CEC

The Ramlila Maidan rally formed part of the INDIA bloc's wider campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Opposition has accused him of mishandling the SIR exercise and allowing electoral irregularities. On October 31, Opposition leaders held mock parliamentary proceedings at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in New Delhi. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the session. During the proceedings, Opposition leaders presented six allegations against the CEC.

Opposition Leaders March to Ramlila Maidan

The INDIA bloc organised a protest march on November 1. The march started at the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction and ended at Ramlila Maidan. Leaders from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Left parties joined the demonstration. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav attended the rally.

Mallikarjun Kharge Accuses BJP of Vote Theft

Kharge accused BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh of winning power through alleged vote theft. “Only if Modi goes will democracy survive. We must remove Modi to save democracy,” he said. Tejashwi Yadav compared the Opposition's fight against alleged vote theft to the Mahabharata. He described the conflict as a battle between ordinary voters and those accused of stealing their votes. Meanwhile, BJP leaders criticised the INDIA bloc for questioning democratic institutions. They accused Opposition parties of challenging election processes whenever voters reject them.

Election Commission Rejects Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations of “vote chori” and irregularities in the SIR exercise. The Commission described his claims about changes to Form 6 as “misleading”. The poll body issued a clarification on X on October 5. It said the three-member Election Commission had unanimously approved the SIR order for Bihar on June 24. It also noted that the Supreme Court had upheld the order in its May 27 judgment.

Form 6 Changes Trigger Dispute Between Congress and ECI

The clarification followed Gandhi's allegations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. He accused Kumar of making unauthorised changes to Form 6, which first-time voters and other eligible applicants use to seek inclusion in electoral rolls. Gandhi claimed that the changes aimed to benefit the BJP. The ECI rejected this charge. It maintained that the Supreme Court had upheld the declaration attached to Form 6 for the SIR exercise.

Supreme Court Seeks Records on Form 6 Changes

The Supreme Court also raised questions about the changes. During a hearing, Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court would examine the records to identify who had modified the online form. He also clarified that the court had not approved any modified version of Form 6.

ECI Tells Supreme Court All SIR Orders Received Unanimous Approval

The ECI submitted a separate affidavit to the Supreme Court in October. It told the court that the CEC and both Election Commissioners had unanimously approved all three orders related to the SIR exercise. The Commission also explained that officials often raise suggestions and questions during internal discussions. It said people should not treat these discussions as formal decisions of the Commission.

Gyanesh Kumar Challenges Rahul Gandhi to Provide Evidence

Earlier, in August 2025, Gyanesh Kumar challenged Rahul Gandhi to provide evidence for his voter-fraud allegations or withdraw his remarks. "Produce evidence of voter fraud or withdraw your remarks. There is no third option," he had said.