NEW DELHI: Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained by police on Tuesday during a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, joined opposition lawmakers in a march from Parliament towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in New Delhi. Police stopped the protesters with barricades and a heavy security deployment.
An officer briefly detained Gandhi along with several other lawmakers before releasing them. Gandhi was seen standing on a police barricade and waving the Indian national flag as protesters raised slogans against the election authorities.
The opposition parties are demanding Kumar’s resignation over allegations of irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. They have accused the Election Commission of favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition was fighting to protect democracy and alleged that the Election Commission had become too closely aligned with the government.
Protesters carried banners reading “Save Democracy” and demanded greater transparency in the voter registration and electoral roll revision process. Some demonstrators also displayed placards calling for Kumar to step down.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing. It maintains that the revision process is intended to improve the accuracy and integrity of voter lists. Kumar has not publicly commented on the allegations.
Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around the protest area. Authorities erected barricades, closed several roads and advised commuters to avoid areas surrounding the demonstration.
The protests have emerged as a fresh political challenge for Modi during his third term. Opposition parties, student groups and members of a youth movement have staged a series of demonstrations since last week.
The dispute intensified after reports emerged of disagreements within the Election Commission over voter lists and registration procedures. Opposition parties have argued that changes to electoral rolls could benefit Modi and the BJP, while the ruling party and the commission have rejected the allegations.
India’s Supreme Court also agreed on Monday to hear a petition challenging aspects of the voter revision exercise and raising concerns about the conduct of the election authorities.
The court’s intervention could bring further scrutiny to the controversy as opposition parties continue their campaign against the Election Commission and demand greater accountability.
