NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Wednesday sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to raise issues related to chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, sources told news agency ANI.The move came a day after INDIA bloc leaders held a protest against the Election Commission and the CEC over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Meanwhile, Congress chief and leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has invited opposition MPs for lunch at 1pm in Delhi.During the meeting, the MPs are expected to sign a letter seeking an appointment with CEC Gyanesh Kumar, as news agency ANI quoted sources.The INDIA bloc has been demanding answers from the Election Commission on SIR and has accused the poll panel of not addressing its concerns. The protest was part of the opposition’s wider “Save Democracy” campaign.On Tuesday, leaders of several INDIA bloc parties marched towards Nirvachan Sadan but were stopped by barricades.The leaders then staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan. During the protest, Rahul Gandhi claimed that around 300 Opposition MPs wanted to meet the election commissioners and submit their concerns.Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were later detained by Delhi Police.Rahul Gandhi defended the protest, saying the opposition only wanted to meet the election commissioners and raise questions about the revision of electoral rolls.After the protest, the Election Commission said no political party had sought an appointment with the poll panel until 4pm.
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In a statement, the EC said Delhi Police informed it around 4pm that a delegation of around 240 MPs, led by Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, wanted to meet the election commissioners and submit a memorandum at the Parliament House Annexe.The poll panel said the proposed venue and the way the meeting was sought were “unusual” given its established protocol.The Election Commission said it later considered sending its most senior executive officer to receive the memorandum from the opposition MPs at the venue. However, the offer was rejected.
