In 4-Point Charter To President, INDIA Bloc Demands Return To Ballot Papers

A delegation of INDIA bloc leaders met President Droupadi Murmu Friday evening and handed over a memorandum to her with four demands over the alleged "vote chori". Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said he was "shocked" that the President "did not deny" the election theft charge. The delegation comprised him, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NCP(SP)'s Supriya Sule, SP's Rajeev Rai, RJD's Manoj Jha, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby and CPI's D Raja met her. Gandhi also said the opposition leaders would meet Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday and hand over a memorandum to him as well.

Carrying a big "Save Democracy" banner, INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament House to Vijay Chowk where they were stopped by the police, who had put up barricades. After that, the delegation, whose names had been sent to Rashtrapati Bhawan, headed to meet President Murmu to hand over a memorandum on the "vote chori" issue.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Kharge said the INDIA bloc leaders sought a return to ballot paper instead of EVMs for future polls.

I just sat in quite an unbelievable meeting with the President of India. We presented our memorandum to her outlining PM Modi and HM Amit Shah's gross subversion of India's electoral system and seeking CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. I was shocked that the President did not deny Vote Chori. Instead, she asked us to bring her proof. We will bring her a mountain of it. The INDIA bloc will gladly submit every piece of evidence before her. We welcome her assurance that she will examine the matter and take action.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 9, 2026

What The Memorandum Said

The memo read: "We urge you, as the constitutional Head of the Republic, to take cognisance of this grave situation and use your good offices to ensure that the following demands are addressed without delay: Resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner and the repeal of 2023 law that provides life-long immunity to the CEC and ECs; immediate suspension of the SIR and immediate restoration of all 13.30 crore voters illegally deleted from electoral rolls; a return to paper ballots for all elections; repeal all Assembly elections over the last two years in which conclusive evidence of vote chori has been presented."

MEMORANDUM TO THE HON'BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA https://t.co/GdTckWheea

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 9, 2026

It further said, "We approach you because, in moments when every other door has been closed, the people of India look to the Office of the President as the final guardian of that covenant. We appeal to your conscience, to your sense of justice, and to your abiding duty to the people of this Republic. Do not let their voice be silenced. We expect you as President of our Republic to discharge your duty to protect the Constitution of India decisively."

Gandhi later said, "The President asked for evidence of 'vote chori' which we will provide." 

In her remarks to the press, Mamata Banerjee said the INDIA bloc is together and is strong, and she thought the meeting was positive.

'Worth Dying For'

Earlier, the INDIA bloc MPs met at the Central Hall of the Samvidhan Sadan and deliberated upon their strategy to take forward their plan for agitation against alleged "vote chori" and press for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's ouster.

Kharge, Gandhi, Congress chief ministers DK Shivakumar (Karnataka) and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), as well as other INDIA bloc leaders and some Independents attended the meeting. Opposition protests have shaken the foundations of this government, which is now scared, Gandhi told INDIA bloc MPs at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.

"There is a much deeper problem than Gyanesh Kumar, and it requires termination of this current government," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said. This is worth fighting for and dying for, he said.

The CEC is only a service provider, and he has the gall to say he will not meet elected representatives of the people, Gandhi said.

"If we continue to push the way we have in the last three-four days, I guarantee this government will fall," the former Congress chief said.

The opposition's aggressive push comes days after a report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months, mostly to decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Under fire over objections raised by two of its commissioners, the Election Commission had asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and that all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.

Last week, the INDIA bloc finalised a joint action plan on the SIR row, including holding rallies and "save democracy" marches. The INDIA bloc leaders on Thursday staged a sit-in at Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, to highlight what they alleged was "hijacking" of the country by Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Shah and the CEC through a criminal conspiracy of "vote chori." Thursday was the third consecutive day of protests against the CEC and alleged vote theft by the opposition leaders, who pledged to continue their agitation until the CEC resigns.