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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) batted for pre-SIR electoral roll to be used for future elections and voting through ballots instead of EVMs, as he stressed on unity in the opposition INDIA bloc with a joint action plan.
In his opening remarks at the INDIA bloc meeting, Mr. Kharge said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar should resign and turn approver against the powers “interfering” in electoral rolls The Congress chief claimed that the CEC “stands totally exposed”.
“His two fellow members have written 14 times in 10 months! It questions his very integrity and intentions. Therefore, he should be removed from his position. If he has even an iota of Constitutional or moral shame left in him, he will resign himself and turn approver against the powers who are interfering in our electoral rolls,” Mr. Kharge said. He asserted that the opposition group will not allow transparency to be replaced by secrecy.
“And we will not allow the fundamental principle of our Republic — one person, one vote, one value — to be weakened,” he said at the meeting attended by former Congress chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K.C. Venugopal, TMC chief Mamata Benerjee and leaders from parties such as the SP, the RJD, the CPI, the CPI(M), the NCP(SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT). Mr. Kharge asserted that the ballot belongs to the people, and the mandate belongs to the people. “So the power of government ultimately rests in the hands of the people,” he said.
“Our task today is to ensure that the people of India remain the final and unquestioned authority in our democracy,” Mr. Kharge said. He suggested that the INDIA bloc should demand that the pre-SIR electoral roll to be used for future elections.
INDIA parties must also demand “complete transparency” in every electoral-roll revision, including constituency-wise and booth-wise information on additions, deletions and corrections, he said.
Mr. Kharge also called for due notice, reasons and an effective appeal mechanism before any legitimate voter is removed from the roll.
He also said the parties must call for protection of eligible voters from exclusion caused by administrative failures, inadequate documentation or lack of awareness.
While batting for voting through ballots instead of EVMs, he said there should be simple and accessible voter registration for young citizens, particularly first-time voters.
Mr. Kharge also stressed on institutional accountability and an Election Commission that commands confidence across the political spectrum.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) batted for pre-SIR electoral roll to be used for future elections and voting through ballots instead of EVMs, as he stressed on…