INDIA bloc will continue protests until Gyanesh Kumar steps down, says Praveen Chakravarty

Congress Rajya Sabha member Praveen Chakravarty speaks at a press conference at Sathyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai on Sunday (October 25, 2026). Also seen are AICC in-charge of Tamil Nadu Nivedith Alva (left) and AICC observer Balram Naik (second from right). | Photo credit: M. Srinath

Congress Rajya Sabha member Praveen Chakravarty on Sunday (October 25, 2026) said INDIA Bloc voters will continue their protests until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns. He also urged people to take part in a protest planned for November 1 in Delhi and demand his removal.

He was addressing reporters at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the headquarters of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) in Chennai.

Mr Chakravarty said the protests, led by INDIA Bloc voters and the Cockroach Janata Party, would be led by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. “The protest is not about the Special Intensive Review (SIR), or the state or the party, or who won or who lost. It is about the priceless right of every Indian to vote that has been taken away,” he said.

He added, “We went to the Supreme Court against the SIR, but we did not get an order against it. Mr. Gandhi revealed how in a rural constituency in Karnataka, fake OTPs were used to manipulate Form 7 and remove Congress-supporting voters (from electoral rolls)… These voters were brought to New Delhi and Mr. Gandhi was made to speak to reporters.”

He said there were serious concerns about electoral rolls and the state of democracy itself in India. “We have knocked on the Supreme Court’s door again. Our protest will continue as long as Mr. Gyanesh Kumar remains the head (of the Election Commission of India),” he said. “INDIA bloc constituents will support reforms but only after Mr. Gyanesh Kumar is removed.”

Mr. Chakravarty, All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer Balram Naik and AICC in charge of Tamil Nadu Nivedith Alva attended the meeting with district committee officials at Sathyamurthy Bhavan.

Published – 25 Oct 2026 20:36 IST