India's opposition parties march to top court as protests over voter lists escalate
Indian opposition parties are protesting against a massive purge of voter lists, alleging political manipulation by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The protests have led to significant police crackdowns and the detention of thousands of activists in New Delhi.
Why it matters
The integrity of voter rolls is fundamental to democratic processes; allegations of disenfranchisement in a major democracy have significant geopolitical implications.
NEW DELHI — India's opposition parties marched to the Supreme Court on Monday to protest a purge of voter lists they say favors Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, after police detained thousands of activists over the weekend in a sweeping crackdown in New Delhi.
Several opposition lawmakers and thousands of supporters marched through the capital and submitted a petition to the chief justice alleging irregularities in the nationwide revision of voter lists.
Protests led by the "Cockroach" youth movement have intensified since election authorities began the revision last year, removing more than 130 million voters from the lists. The protesters, including opposition parties, are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Critics say the process is politically motivated and risks disenfranchising eligible voters. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission deny allegations of manipulation, saying the move is needed to remove duplicate and ineligible names.
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