India news: Supreme Court likely to hear Rahul Gandhi's Election Commision plea
Petition challenges voter deletions
Gandhi and other opposition lawmakers filed the plea on Monday, after a march to the Supreme Court in New Delhi. The protest included thousands of people, among them INDIA bloc members, student leaders, activists and civil society representatives.
The petition asks the court to suspend the nationwide revision while it is under way. It also calls for an audit of voter removals and safeguards requiring advance notice before deletions.
Dispute over electoral roll revision
Opposition demonstrations have called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign, alleging voter rolls were manipulated to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission rejects the allegations. The Commission says its Special Intensive Revision removes deceased, relocated and duplicate voters, and prevents the inclusion of people it calls “foreign illegal immigrants.” Modi’s party has dismissed the accusations and described the protests as attempts to “create anarchy.”
Other developments in India
Separately, three Indian nationals died in an apartment fire in Bochum, western Germany. German media reported that authorities were investigating suspected arson and had arrested a building resident on suspicion of murder.
Key points
- Rahul Gandhi and other opposition lawmakers seek a temporary halt to the nationwide voter-roll revision.
- The petition requests an audit of deletions and safeguards requiring advance notice.
- The Election Commission denies allegations of manipulation and says the revision removes certain ineligible or duplicate entries.
- Three Indian nationals died in a Bochum apartment fire; suspected arson is under investigation.