Politics
India Bloc Prepares for Ramlila Maidan Rally to Demand CEC Removal
The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is preparing a large rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Opposition leaders and supporters from several states are arriving in the capital to protest alleged electoral irregularities and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. A large tricolour canopy has been erected over the main stage, and separate arrangements have been made for representatives of INDIA bloc parties. Security preparations are in place as the opposition plans a march from Minto Road to Ramlila Maidan, followed by a rally that is expected to bring together political parties, student groups and civil society organisations. The mobilisation extends beyond the alliance’s political constituents. The rally follows a symbolic “public impeachment” of the CEC held by the INDIA bloc on Saturday, October 31, 2026, where six charges were leveled against Kumar, including alleged election theft, deletion of 13.2 crore voters through the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists, and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The CEC’s actions have been criticised by left leaders, the BJP, and the Janata Dal (United), who described the impeachment as a drama and an attempt to push the country towards anarchy. The BJP also criticised the INDIA bloc for staging a mock Parliament session, while former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the impeachment from a chair once used by Jawaharlal Nehru. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the immediate removal of the CEC and the scrapping of the 2023 law providing immunity to the CEC, accusing him of working under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.