New Delhi: Intensifying their agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the opposition parties would march to the Supreme Court on Monday, with Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge seeking a meeting with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to raise the issue of “vote chori”.
The Chief Justice, however, declined to meet Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over “vote chori” allegations, saying similar matters are sub judice in the Supreme Court, sources said.
Both Gandhi and Kharge had written to CJI Surya Kant, seeking a meeting between 4 and 5 pm on Monday to hand over a memorandum, demanding an end to “vote chori”, CE Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, halting of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and switching back to the paper ballot format.
The Chief Justice’s response was emailed to both leaders, the sources said. The issues they wanted to raise were already pending before the Supreme Court, making such a meeting inappropriate.
The sources added that the court could not intervene in the government’s functioning through its administrative role. The leaders were told they could seek protection of their fundamental rights through the judicial process.
The agitation centres on allegations of wrongful voter deletions and manipulation of electoral rolls during SIR. Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of favoring the BJP and demanded accountability from Kumar.
