Amid opposition allegations of widespread irregularities in India’s electoral-roll revision, senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a memorandum setting out four major demands.

The meeting took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday, October 9, 2026. Those attending included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan and leaders of other opposition parties.

The opposition alleges that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls being conducted under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar lacks transparency and has affected the democratic rights of millions of voters.

In particular, the parties stated in their memorandum that approximately 133 million voters’ names had been illegally removed from electoral rolls across the country. However, the claim that all these deletions were illegal is not an independently established finding.

The memorandum presented to the President put forward four major demands.

First, it called for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the repeal of the 2023 law providing legal protection for election commissioners’ official actions.

Second, it demanded an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the restoration of the 133 million voters whom the opposition alleges were improperly removed.

Third, it called for the use of electronic voting machines to be discontinued and for a return to paper ballots in all elections in India.

Fourth, the opposition demanded the annulment of the results of state Assembly elections held over the past two years in which, it says, conclusive evidence of vote theft has been presented.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting with the President, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his allegations of serious irregularities in India’s electoral processes.

Gandhi said the President had asked for evidence to substantiate the allegations and that the opposition was ready to provide it. However, no announcement from the President’s office has confirmed that these allegations are true.

Gandhi also announced that the opposition would submit a memorandum to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on October 12.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission have denied the opposition’s allegations of electoral-roll manipulation. The Election Commission is carrying out the verification and updating of electoral rolls.

As the political confrontation continues, youth organisations have called for a major protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on October 10, demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Ahead of the protest, security has been tightened in Delhi and restrictions imposed on entry and exit gates at several metro stations. The organisers have said they will proceed despite the police not granting permission for the demonstration.

The controversy over the Election Commission’s independence, the reliability of electoral rolls and citizens’ voting rights has become a major political debate in India, the world’s largest democracy.

The response to the opposition’s demands before the President, as well as the steps taken at the Supreme Court in the coming days, will be significant.