Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant has rejected a request by INDIA bloc leaders for a meeting to submit a representation on alleged electoral irregularities, saying they should approach the court by filing a petition as the matter is already sub judice.
Opposition leaders condemn police action against protesters
Rahul Gandhi called for the march, while Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke, who was released from preventive arrest, said he had not signed any bond promising not to protest. The development follows a heavy police crackdown on protesters demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The BJP dismissed the protests, with Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar taking a swipe at the Opposition. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta accused the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Left parties and the CJP of creating chaos during protests in the national capital. She also praised the Delhi Police for handling the situation and ensuring public safety. (with ANI inputs)
The decision comes after INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, announced plans to march to the Supreme Court on Monday, October 12, and submit a memorandum to the CJI. On Sunday, Opposition leaders urged citizens to join the march to the Supreme Court on October 12 and criticised the detention of protesters.
A reasoned response explaining the grounds for the decision has been sent to the Opposition leaders by email, according to people aware of the development. Sources said the response emphasised that the concerns raised by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the delegation would be more appropriately addressed through judicial proceedings rather than by submitting a memorandum through the administrative route. The Opposition intends to raise allegations of “vote chori”, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Dipke vowed to “return to the streets” and challenged the authorities to jail him “not just once, but a hundred times”. He said the Opposition “occasionally makes its presence felt, much like a cockroach crawling across one’s back”.
The alliance had earlier held protests in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, raising similar concerns over the electoral process.
