CPI forms human chain in Delhi demanding CEC’s resignation and rollback of SIR

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday (October 27, 2026) organised a human chain from its party headquarters Ajoy Bhawan to ITO in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had led to the disenfranchisement of citizens.

Addressing the gathering, CPI general secretary D. Raja said Mr. Kumar had “lost the confidence of the people” and that his continuation as Chief Election Commissioner posed a threat to the credibility of the electoral process. The party demanded the immediate rollback of the nationwide SIR exercise.

He also criticised the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site and called for its reopening. The party said the move curtailed democratic dissent and reflected an increasing intolerance towards people’s movements and protests.

The CPI, in a statement here, argued that democracy could not function effectively if citizens were denied both their voting rights and the right to protest. It said the Election Commission was facing a crisis of credibility and reiterated its demands for the withdrawal of the SIR, the reopening of Jantar Mantar and the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Among those who took part in the protest were CPI National Secretariat members Amarjeet Kaur, P. Sandosh Kumar, Rama Krushna Panda, Girish Sharma, Annie Raja, K. Prakash Babu and K. Ramakrishna, CPI MP P.P. Suneer, CPI Delhi secretary Dinesh Varshney, National Federation of Indian Women general secretary Nisha Sidhu, All India Kisan Sabha president Rajan Kshirsagar; and representatives of other CPI-affiliated organisations.

The party appealed to political parties, civil society groups and citizens to intensify protests against what it described as vote chori (theft) and to seek a transparent, independent and accountable Election Commission.