Congress workers protest across states, demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar's removal

The Punjab Congress organised a protest march to the Election Commission office in Chandigarh demanding the dismissal and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Speaking on the protest, Punjab Congress General Secretary Captain Sandeep Sandhu accused the Chief Election Commissioner of taking unilateral decisions against the consensus of two fellow Election Commissioners. Sandhu noted that the two commissioners sent disagreement notes on twelve separate occasions regarding state election procedures. He argued that under constitutional guidelines, majority decisions should prevail instead of unilateral actions. Sandhu declared that internal dissent within the poll body makes the ongoing electoral process undemocratic and unacceptable to the Congress party ahead of elections.

A speaker raised allegations regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise, claiming over 13 crore voters nationwide have been disenfranchised and nearly half of Delhi voters have had their names deleted. Citing recent media reports, the speaker highlighted the introduction of a new VIP voter category in the Booth Level Officer application. Internal communications purportedly instructed officials to identify cabinet ministers, councillors, judges, advocates, bureaucrats, media personnel, and celebrities as VIPs. The speaker contrasted this treatment with that of common citizens, alleging that prominent figures receive doorstep grievance redressal within hours while ordinary vendors and workers are forced to stand in queues all day to protect their voting rights.

Massive protests led by the Indian Youth Congress and Congress state units broke out across multiple cities, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Patna, and Hyderabad, demanding the resignation and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In Chandigarh, police used water cannons against protesters, while youth workers marched towards the Election Commission office in Delhi before being stopped by barricades and paramilitary personnel. The demonstrations follow allegations raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders concerning the functioning of the Election Commission of India and alleged centralization and manipulation of electoral rolls. While the opposition prepares strategy for street demonstrations and explores parliamentary steps including a potential impeachment motion, the Bharatiya Janata Party defended the poll body and dismissed allegations, asserting that electoral rolls are decentralized and accusing the opposition of making excuses for electoral setbacks.

Congress workers staged nationwide protests across multiple cities, including Chandigarh, Patna, and New Delhi, demanding the immediate resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of electoral irregularities and poll rigging. Demonstrators burned effigies, displayed placards reading 'Loot of democracy', and attempted to breach police barricades outside state election offices and in the national capital along Raisina Road towards Jantar Mantar. In Chandigarh, police deployed water cannons to disperse party workers led by Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring before detaining several leaders and protesters. The escalation followed claims by party leaders alleging an unfair electoral process, citing internal dissent within the Election Commission of India over the Special Intensive Revision procedure. The Bharatiya Janata Party responded by rejecting the allegations, maintaining that the opposition continues to target constitutional institutions out of political frustration.