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Rahul Gandhi asked Delhi traders to press PM Modi for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal amid the Congress-led campaign against SIR.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked traders in Delhi to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would end “in 30 seconds” if the demand was accepted.
Gandhi’s appeal came after traders expressed concern over the impact of protests and political rallies on business during the festive shopping season. In a post on X, he said traders were being affected by restrictions such as road closures and metro disruptions during demonstrations over the SIR exercise.
“To every trader in Delhi: We love you and hear you,” Gandhi wrote.
Linking the traders’ concerns to the opposition’s campaign against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, Gandhi urged them to put pressure on the government.
“Tell Modi to sack accused no. 4, Gyanesh Kumar and the protests will stop in 30 seconds,” he said.
Gandhi also warned that what he described as a “stolen vote” could have consequences beyond elections, saying it could put businesses, savings and the future of children at risk.
Why Traders Want Rally Postponed?
The CTI has sought a postponement of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally until after November 10.
The traders’ organisation said the festive season was particularly important for businesses and that road closures, diversions and transport restrictions could affect customer movement and trade.
It also referred to losses allegedly suffered during earlier political rallies, marches and road closures in Connaught Place and other parts of central Delhi.
The November 1 event is part of the INDIA bloc’s campaign against alleged problems in electoral rolls and its demand for Kumar’s removal.
The Congress has also been pressing for changes to the legal framework governing the appointment and protection of election commissioners.
Kharge Escalates Attack Over SIR
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge separately renewed his attack on the government and the Election Commission on Monday.
Kharge accused the Modi government of protecting Kumar despite what he called “countless revelations of vote theft”.
He also alleged that the Election Commission had refused to provide information about the software used during SIR under the RTI Act, citing “Trade Secrets”.
Kharge appealed to people to join the INDIA bloc’s November 1 “Dilli Chalo” march and rally at Ramlila Maidan, describing the campaign as a fight to protect democracy and the Constitution.
The Congress president also raised questions over voter data from Uttar Pradesh. He claimed that details concerning 16.18 lakh Form 6 applications had not been made public.
Form 6 is the application used to seek inclusion in the electoral roll.
UP Voter Forms Under Scrutiny
The controversy has also prompted an official review of voter-related forms in Uttar Pradesh.
State Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa has instructed officials to examine Forms 6, 7 and 8 entered by computer assistants since April 10, when the state’s SIR exercise concluded.
The directive followed allegations by the Uttar Pradesh Congress on October 21 concerning the Pilibhit Sadar Assembly constituency.
The party had alleged that the names of thousands of voters were changed even though their EPIC and serial numbers remained the same.
The review covers applications for adding names to electoral rolls, requests for deletion and objections, as well as applications seeking corrections or other changes.
Kharge also referred to discrepancies involving 10,470 voters in Pilibhit and said the issue had resulted in the scrutiny of Forms 6, 7 and 8 across the state.
The allegations, however, have not by themselves established that electoral fraud occurred.
Congress Renews Wider Demands
Alongside the demand for Kumar’s removal, Kharge repeated several other demands of the INDIA bloc.
These include scrapping the 2023 law that provides protection to election commissioners, stopping the SIR exercise and restoring voter names that the opposition claims were removed illegally.
The Congress has also demanded that elections be conducted using paper ballots.
“This is not just a fight to save votes; it is a people’s struggle to save the Constitution and democracy,” Kharge said.
The Congress had on Sunday also questioned the Election Commission over information relating to its ECINET software. The party alleged that repeated refusals to disclose details were intended to hide what it described as “massive, centralised manipulation” during SIR.
The Election Commission’s response to the latest allegations was not part of the statements issued by the Congress leaders.
About the Author
Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can …Read More
October 26, 2026, 10:09 pm IST
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