Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has declined a request from the Congress-led INDIA bloc of Opposition parties for a meeting, advising them to approach the Supreme Court through a petition instead, ahead of their planned march to the apex court on Monday.
According to sources, the CJI conveyed that the issues the Opposition leaders intended to raise were already sub judice and were being heard by the Supreme Court.
The CJI is learnt to have said that the court could not meet a delegation representing a political party at the administrative level. He reportedly emphasised that the judiciary’s role was to hear petitions and deliver judgments.
He also reiterated that the Supreme Court’s doors were “open 24 hours a day for all” and that the institution remained committed to protecting the fundamental rights of every citizen.
Despite the refusal, the INDIA bloc’s proposed march was expected to proceed on Monday. The demonstration is part of the Opposition’s continuing campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has maintained that the march is “not of a political party, but of all Indians”. The Congress leader is seeking to broaden the campaign and build pressure on the Chief Election Commissioner and the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.
Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the government benefited from the SIR exercise, which has become a major point of contention between the Opposition and the Election Commission.
The INDIA bloc had submitted a charter of demands to President Droupadi Murmu last Friday, outlining four key demands concerning electoral reforms and alleged vote manipulation.
The demands include the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, repeal of the 2023 law granting legal immunity to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, immediate suspension of the SIR exercise, and restoration of all 13.3 crore voters allegedly deleted from electoral rolls.
Earlier on Sunday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the legal protection provided to the Election Commission’s leadership under the 2023 law, alleging that the government introduced the legislation to shield the officials from legal action.
“To create such an atmosphere, PM Modi brought the 2023 Act to protect the Chief Election Commissioner and members. That immunity he gave. That immunity is not even for the President of India, not the Chief Justice, but that is given to one Election Commissioner,” Kharge said.
The proposed march marks another escalation in the Opposition’s confrontation with the Election Commission over the electoral roll revision process and its demands for changes to the legal framework governing the poll body.
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