Members of the Communist Party of India (CPI) staged a protest in New Delhi on Tuesday, 27 October, forming a human chain against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and demanding both his resignation and the immediate cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The demonstration marks an escalation in the CPI-led campaign that has drawn in multiple constituents of the INDIA bloc and several mass and class organisations across the country.

Key Demands and CPI's Stand

CPI National General Secretary D. Raja stated that the party had been intensifying its campaign nationwide, alleging that genuine concerns over voter deletions remained unaddressed by the Election Commission. 'Our party, as one of the constituents of the INDIA bloc, has been intensifying the campaign all over the country. Our party and other mass organisations and class organisations are also holding protests and organising campaigns across the country, because genuine issues are there,' Raja said.

Raja alleged that Kumar should have resigned but had refused to do so, and confirmed the party had already approached both the President of India and the Supreme Court without seeing any resolution. 'We approached Rashtrapati, we went to the Supreme Court and filed a petition, but nothing is happening. So the only way is to go to the people, mobilise the people, and intensify the campaign and struggle,' he said.

Allegations Against the Election Commission

Raja further alleged that nearly 14 crore voters had been removed from electoral rolls, accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of failing to uphold its constitutional mandate. The CPI's decision to form a human chain in the national capital was described as a deliberate escalation in protest strategy, while the party said it would continue to await the Supreme Court's response.

CPI National Secretary Girish Chandra Sharma echoed the same demands, calling for the cancellation of the SIR exercise and the removal of Kumar. 'Cancel SIR and oust Gyanesh Kumar. Based on these two major demands, along with other issues concerning farmers, workers, youth, unemployment, education, and health, these remain the two primary demands causing unrest across the country,' Sharma said. He questioned why Kumar had not resigned despite what he described as widespread public dissatisfaction.

Organisations Joining the Protest

Sharma confirmed that several democratic and Left organisations were participating in the protests, specifically naming the All India Students' Federation (AISF), the All India Youth Federation (AIYF), and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). The breadth of organisational participation signals that the campaign is being coordinated well beyond the CPI's own membership base.

Form 6 Controversy

CPI MP P. Sandosh Kumar raised additional concerns over the use of Form 6 in the electoral roll revision process, arguing that its prescribed fields were mandatory for applications to proceed. 'Form 6 was mandatory because without fulfilling those columns, one cannot proceed forward. So there is no point in saying that it was not mandatory,' he said.

Kumar further argued that whether the decision was taken unanimously or by majority did not alter what he alleged was a violation of the Electoral Registration Rules, 1960. 'So they may have taken this decision unanimously or by majority, but that does not absolve them,' he added. This comes amid broader opposition pressure on the Election Commission over the SIR exercise, which critics argue could disenfranchise genuine voters at scale. All three allegations — voter deletions, Form 6 misuse, and the CEC's conduct — remain contested and have not been adjudicated by the Supreme Court as yet.

With the matter now pending before the apex court and street protests intensifying, the pressure on the Election Commission is set to grow in the days ahead.