Congress to Hold Massive Delhi Rally Against SIR on 1st Week of December After Bihar Defeat

The Congress Party is gearing up for a major show of strength in early December with its plan for a nationwide rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

This is after the party finished its signature drive, which it claims garnered five crore signatures against what it termed an organized attempt to commit “vote theft.” The leadership contended that the revision process was being misused to influence the voter lists in targeted regions.

Concerns about Electoral Roll Integrity

Senior Congress leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal met with representatives from states where the SIR process is underway. Speaking after the meeting, Kharge accused the Election Commission of not adhering to neutrality. The Commission, he said must demonstrate that it does not act under political pressure and carry out its constitutional commitment to safeguard the veracity of the electoral rolls.

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Congress's Charge Against the SIR Process

Kharge warned that the party believes the BJP is using the SIR exercise to manipulate voter lists. He said the Congress will remain alert at every level to prevent any unlawful deletions or insertions. Venugopal added that the revision process, which normally takes several months, is being rushed through in a few weeks, putting immense pressure on booth-level officers. He also referred to distressing reports of officers in some states dying by suicide due to workload.

Accusations of Political Bias

Venugopal accused the Election Commission of setting aside concerns of state governments and political parties other than the BJP. He gave the example of Kerala, whose local polls start on December 9 and where the timing of the SIR has been particularly disruptive.

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Despite recommendations from the Kerala Assembly as well as the state’s Chief Election Officer to postpone the exercise, the Commission went ahead with it. This, according to Congress leaders, is a serious indictment of the independence of the Commission.

Congress Plans Mass Mobilisation

As the party intensifies its campaign, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge have called on state organisations to monitor the process closely and expose any irregularities. The upcoming rally aims to put national pressure on the Election Commission and bring into relief what Congress describes as a bid to undermine democratic safeguards. The party says it will challenge every move that threatens the fairness of India’s electoral system.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available political statements and reports. It reflects an editorial interpretation and not an endorsement of any claims.