The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha made the remarks after a delegation met Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted a memorandum demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged manipulation of electoral rolls and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Gandhi claimed the President neither rejected the delegation’s accusations nor challenged its account of alleged electoral malpractice. He interpreted her response as acceptance of the Opposition’s concerns, an interpretation subsequently rejected by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“I was shocked and stunned that the President of India accepted what we said,” Gandhi told journalists outside Rashtrapati Bhavan. He said the delegation had expected Murmu to defend the integrity of the electoral system.
The Congress leader said the memorandum accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Kumar of conspiring to undermine democracy. These accusations remain allegations advanced by the Opposition and have not been established through an independent judicial determination.
Gandhi said Murmu requested evidence of what the Opposition describes as “vote chori”, or vote theft. He maintained that substantial material had already been collected and promised that the delegation would furnish documentation supporting its charges.
The President’s request for evidence does not, by itself, establish agreement with the accusations. No independent confirmation was available that Murmu had endorsed the Opposition’s interpretation of the meeting or accepted its allegations as proven.
The BJP sharply challenged Gandhi’s account. Party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi described his assertion that the President had accepted the allegations as a lie and accused him of dragging constitutional institutions into partisan confrontation.
Trivedi called Gandhi’s remarks unfortunate and bizarre, arguing that the Congress leader was attempting to use the President’s constitutional position to lend credibility to unsubstantiated political accusations.
The exchange followed an hour-long meeting involving senior Opposition figures, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee. The delegation sought presidential intervention over the Election Commission’s functioning and the controversy surrounding revisions to electoral registers.
The memorandum demanded Kumar’s resignation and measures to address voters allegedly excluded from electoral rolls. Opposition leaders have questioned the deletion of approximately 13.3 crore names, although the interpretation of that figure and the legitimacy of individual deletions remain contested.
The delegation also demanded a return to paper ballots for future elections, reflecting its objections to electronic voting machines and concerns about transparency in the electoral process.
Another demand concerned legal protections available to election commissioners. Opposition parties sought changes to the statutory framework governing the Election Commission, including provisions they contend weaken accountability for decisions taken by its members.
Gandhi announced that Opposition representatives intended to approach Chief Justice of India on Monday with a memorandum outlining their complaints. The proposed approach would extend their campaign from parliamentary demonstrations and presidential representations to the judiciary.
The Opposition’s central objection concerns the SIR exercise, which involves verification and revision of electoral registers. Its leaders contend that the process has resulted in the exclusion of eligible voters and could affect electoral outcomes.
The Election Commission maintains that electoral roll revision is necessary to ensure accurate voter lists. The dispute centres on whether the verification procedures adequately protect eligible citizens against wrongful deletion and provide effective opportunities for correction.
The confrontation has intensified through successive demonstrations in New Delhi, where Opposition parliamentarians have attempted to march towards the Election Commission and other constitutional institutions.
Earlier on Friday, police barricades prevented protesting lawmakers from proceeding beyond Vijay Chowk during a march associated with their demand for Kumar’s removal. Several leaders continued their demonstration before the delegation met Murmu.
The protests have also drawn attention to the procedures governing the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, whose constitutional protections require a parliamentary process rather than dismissal through an executive direction.
Opposition leaders have maintained that their campaign seeks accountability for electoral administration, while the ruling party argues that accusations of systematic manipulation are politically motivated and unsupported by conclusive evidence.
Gandhi said the delegation remained willing to place its evidence before the President. He also indicated that further documentation would accompany the Opposition’s representations concerning electoral rolls and the conduct of the Election Commission.
The presidential meeting took place on Friday evening, following several days of demonstrations by Opposition parties in the national capital.
