India's INDIA bloc announces street protests against Election Commission

India's opposition alliance, the INDIA bloc, has announced a nationwide protest against the Election Commission from October 2 to 8. The decision was taken at the bloc's eighth meeting, held for about three hours at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said 19 parties participated in the meeting, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The meeting discussed disputes over the Special Intensive Revision and EVMs and VVPATs.

According to Kharge, protests will be held outside district magistrate offices during the agitation. The alliance has accused the commission of enabling "vote theft" and has demanded that elections be conducted through paper ballots.

Kharge alleged that certain individuals within the commission were being used like puppets by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Modi has used Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to influence elections.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Commissioner Kumar had lost his impartiality and alleged that EVMs had been hacked, demanding his resignation. The commission, however, has maintained that its decisions are based on due legal process and institutional deliberation.