Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an all-party meeting to discuss the government’s new delimitation proposals before they are finalised for Parliament. In his October 16 letter, Kharge highlighted that 64 days had passed since the Monsoon Session was adjourned on August 13, yet both Houses had not been prorogued. He recalled making similar requests on April 11, July 16 and August 27. Kharge also referred to the delimitation Constitutional Amendment Bill’s failure to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17, urging adequate consultation with political parties and stakeholders. (PC: Frontline)

BJP general secretary Smriti Irani on October 15 criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over protests against the Election Commission of India (ECI), calling him an “unelectable prince” and accusing the Opposition of seeking regime change rather than electoral transparency. She dismissed Gandhi’s “vote chori” allegations as headline-chasing and questioned whether he had sufficient evidence to support his claims. Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Irani claimed that 90% of approximately 90 crore voters had been verified. She maintained that governments must be changed through elections, not protests, amid escalating tensions between the BJP and Opposition parties. (PC: India Today)

The Congress has reached out to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, inviting him to a high tea hosted by Rahul Gandhi for INDIA bloc leaders, civil society representatives and student leaders. The move signals a possible shift in the party’s approach towards CJP, which has led protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged electoral irregularities. Congress leaders had earlier maintained distance from the group, with some viewing it as linked to the Aam Aadmi Party. Rahul Gandhi recently condemned the arrest of CJP leaders during protests at Jantar Mantar.  (PC: The Indian Express)

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the parents of Ankita Bhandari at their sit-in protest near India Gate in Delhi on Wednesday. The family is opposing the appointment of Uttarakhand BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim governor and has demanded that the move be halted until the investigation is completed. Ankita, a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, was murdered in 2022. Her family has alleged Gautam’s involvement, an allegation reported by the Congress. Rahul Gandhi said the family had been waiting for justice for 4 years. (PC: HT)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has publicly supported jailed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters for the first time, signalling a possible shift in relations between the two groups. Reacting to the arrests of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, Rahul said peaceful protest with the national flag was not a crime. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked him for the statement. The Congress had previously kept its distance from the outfit amid concerns over its links with AAP and competition for youth support. Both groups have separately protested exam paper leaks and alleged electoral roll irregularities. (PC: India Today)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday used a flute performance to symbolically oppose the alleged police crackdown on protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. At a press conference, flute artist Samar played ‘Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye’ in response to what Gandhi described as the authorities’ use of force. Samar alleged that police detained and assaulted him. An NSUI functionary also accused police personnel of beating her during detention in Delhi, causing injuries to her legs and ear. She further alleged that another protester was assaulted. The allegations could not be independently verified, and no police response was available in the report. 

The INDIA bloc is set to reduce its daily protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls during the festive season. The decision follows 5 consecutive protest marches in Delhi and a fresh petition in the Supreme Court. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the opposition’s campaign would continue, hinting at a possible surprise move. Leaders are considering intermittent demonstrations while maintaining pressure on the Election Commission. The alliance also plans to involve civil society groups and student organisations to expand its campaign beyond political parties.

All India Students Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, a prominent face of protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, said on Tuesday that the BJP had united its critics by repeatedly labelling them “anti-national”, “Dimagi Naxals” and members of the “tukde-tukde gang”. Speaking to India Today TV, Bora argued that these labels had brought together people across political and social groups. She said protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had united students, opposition parties and ordinary citizens concerned about democracy and voting rights. Bora said the agitation would continue until Kumar was removed and the SIR exercise was halted completely.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday hit back at Rahul Gandhi over allegations of voter list irregularities linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Shah said Congress had been losing elections for decades, even before the SIR process began after 2024. He cited the party’s defeats in West Bengal, Tripura and Gujarat. Shah also urged Gandhi to review the Congress’s election record. His remarks came after BJP victories in Gujarat’s civic polls. Meanwhile, Gandhi vowed to continue protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding action over alleged SIR irregularities and the protection of voting rights.  

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged flaws in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “He doesn’t have constitutional protection,” Tharoor said, adding that the Opposition was preparing articles of impeachment to seek Kumar’s removal. He alleged that the SIR process had led to wrongful voter deletions. Tharoor called for the exercise to be suspended and demanded a review of the software used. He also sought the restoration of deleted voter names. He said the Election Commission must ensure free and fair elections.