New Delhi, October 12 (Daily Kiran) : Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has declined a request from leaders of the opposition coalition, known as the INDIA alliance, to meet before their planned march to the Supreme Court on Monday. Instead, he advised them to pursue their concerns through formal petitions to the court.
Sources indicate that the Chief Justice pointed out that the issues raised by the opposition are already under consideration and are being heard by the Supreme Court. He emphasized that the judiciary cannot meet with political party delegations at an administrative level, reiterating that the court’s role is to hear petitions and deliver judgments.
Chandrachud also emphasized that the Supreme Court, as the nation’s highest judicial body, remains “open 24/7” to all citizens and is committed to protecting their fundamental rights.
Despite the rejection, the march proposed by the INDIA alliance is expected to proceed on Monday. This demonstration is part of a series of protests by opposition parties, which include demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the voter list.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi stated that the upcoming march represents not just a political party’s agenda, but the interests of all Indians. Congress aims to expand the outreach of this campaign and apply pressure on both the Chief Election Commissioner and the central government.
Gandhi has accused the government of benefiting from the alleged irregularities in the voter list, which have become a contentious issue between the opposition and the election commission.
Last Friday, the INDIA alliance submitted a charter of demands to President Droupadi Murmu, outlining four key requests related to electoral reforms and alleged vote manipulation. These include the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and the repeal of a 2023 law that grants legal immunity to the Chief Election Commissioner and other election officials.
The opposition has also called for the immediate suspension of the voter list process and the reinstatement of all 13.3 million voters who were removed.
Earlier on Sunday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the legal protections provided to the Chief Election Commissioner and his team under the 2023 law, alleging that the government introduced it to shield them from legal accountability.
He remarked, “To create such an environment, Prime Minister Modi introduced the 2023 Act to protect the Chief Election Commissioner and members. The immunity granted to them is not even extended to the President of India or the Chief Justice.”
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