Turn Approver, Step Down: Rahul Gandhi Demands CEC Resignation Ahead of Supreme Court March

Ahead of the INDIA bloc’s scheduled march to the Supreme Court on Monday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference at the AICC headquarters, alleging that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is operating under direct pressure from top government leadership and should turn approver.

Addressing reporters at Indira Bhawan before opposition leaders set off to submit a joint petition to the apex court, Gandhi claimed he has been receiving messages from within the administrative system indicating that the Chief Election Commissioner is being coerced into shielding irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls.

Messages Received From Within Administrative Setup

Responding directly to queries on whether the election chief had communicated with him, Gandhi confirmed receiving indirect messages through official channels. "Yes, I am getting messages from him through people in the system. The messages say that he is under tremendous pressure, that he is being forced to do this," Gandhi stated.

The Congress leader attributed the origin of this pressure directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

"My message back to him is very clear: 'Resign and turn approver.' You have committed a crime, but you are not the main mastermind. The pressure is coming from Modi and Shah. Step down, step out of the way, tell the truth to the nation, and become an approver. We might even think of forgiving you if you do that."

Allegations of 'Vote Chori' and Institutional Breakdown

Escalating his attack on the executive leadership, Gandhi linked the controversy surrounding voter rolls to a broader collapse of constitutional safeguards, explicitly outlining what he termed a chain of institutional subversion leading back to those masterminding the operation.

"Gyanesh Kumar was chosen by the Prime Minister of India, not by anybody less. He was chosen by Amit Shah… From vote-chori comes kanoon-chori. From kanoon-chori comes sanstha-chori — institutions. This is the chain that has taken place."

Gandhi further warned that compromising electoral integrity undermines democratic foundations at large: "If the vote has been destroyed, then our Constitution has been destroyed… This is an act against the Indian State and its people. A person who attacks votes and fundamentally destroys India's democratic institution is an anti-national, nothing else."

Security Deployment and Discontent Within Agencies

Gandhi questioned the extensive security arrangements across the national capital, pointing to blocked metro access, water cannons, and heavy police deployment. "Why is Delhi jailed today? Delhi has turned into a fortress," he said, asking why over 30,000 security personnel were deployed on the streets to block peaceful political representatives.

He claimed that dissatisfaction over the handling of the electoral commission extends inside government institutions, asserting that intelligence and security officials are in active communication with opposition figures. "Aapki sarkaar ke 200 afsar humare touch mein hai. Humein information de rahe hain," Gandhi said, claiming that nearly half of the police force and personnel within the Union Home Ministry and paramilitary forces privately agree with the opposition's stance.

Internal Friction in the Election Commission

Highlighting administrative dissent, Gandhi alleged that internal friction has fractured the election body, stating that the other two Election Commissioners have raised questions about why Gyanesh Kumar continues to hold office amidst growing public scrutiny.

Framing the opposition's protest as a direct confrontation between the electorate and executive authority, Gandhi described the ongoing political impasse as "the public versus Modi, Shah, and Gyanesh." Following the press briefing, INDIA bloc parliamentarians gathered at the Constitution Club before proceeding toward the Supreme Court to submit their petition regarding the election body's conduct.