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Chief Justice Rejects INDIA Bloc Meeting Request, Directs Petition
India’s opposition INDIA bloc asked the country’s top judge to meet its leaders and accept a document about alleged problems with elections.
Chief Justice Surya Kant said the leaders should file a court petition instead because the issues are already being considered by the Supreme Court.
The opposition planned to march to the court on Monday, October 12.
It says changes to voter lists and other election matters need to be addressed.
The bloc has also called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
Police detained protesters during demonstrations, and opposition leaders criticised those detentions.
The bloc’s demands include restoring millions of names removed from voter lists and using paper ballots.
The BJP has said political leaders should pursue their complaints through legal channels.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined an INDIA bloc request to meet and receive a memorandum about alleged electoral irregularities.
According to sources, he said the issues are already before the Supreme Court and should be raised through a petition.
The opposition bloc planned a march to the Supreme Court on Monday, October 12, over alleged “vote chori,” the voter-roll revision and demands concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Opposition leaders criticised police detentions of protesters; one report said at least 3,000 people were detained on Saturday.
The bloc’s demands include suspending the SIR, restoring 13.3 crore deleted voters, repealing a law granting election commissioners immunity, returning to paper ballots and annulling certain Assembly elections.
- Who
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
- What
- Surya Kant declined their request for a meeting and said they should file a petition over alleged electoral irregularities.
- Where
- The request concerned the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi.
- When
- The refusal was reported ahead of a planned march on Monday, October 12; the articles do not specify the year.
- Why
- According to sources, the issues raised are already sub judice and should be addressed through judicial proceedings rather than an administrative meeting.
INDIA bloc and protesters
Court and BJP position
How to raise the electoral concerns
INDIA bloc and protesters
The INDIA bloc sought a meeting and planned to deliver a memorandum to press its concerns about alleged electoral irregularities.
Court and BJP position
Surya Kant reportedly said the issues should be brought before the court by petition because they are already sub judice; BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said CJIs do not meet political delegations as a matter of convention.
Protests and police action
INDIA bloc and protesters
Opposition leaders criticised police detentions and urged citizens to join the march; CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke said he would return to the streets.
Court and BJP position
The articles report police detentions during protests, but do not provide a police account or rationale for the actions.
Key facts
- Chief Justice
- Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India
- Request
- A meeting to submit a representation or memorandum about alleged electoral irregularities
- CJI's response
- File a petition; the issues are already before the Supreme Court
- Planned march
- To the Supreme Court on Monday, October 12
- Election official named
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Voter-roll figure cited
- The INDIA bloc says 13.3 crore voters were deleted and should be restored
- Protest detentions
- One article reports that at least 3,000 people were detained on Saturday
Quotes
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
Chief Justice of India; the words were reported by sources as part of his reply to the meeting request
“not of a political party, but of all Indians”
NDTV
“open 24 hours a day for all”
NDTV
Sources
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