Opposition marches to EC office, demands poll chief resign

Opposition lawmakers marched from Parliament to the Election Commission office on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a controversial nationwide voter-list revision. Hundreds of security personnel with barricades guarded central Delhi ahead of the 11 am march, and authorities shut some routes. The march is the latest in nearly daily protests led by opposition parties and the Gen Z 'Cockroach' youth movement, which forced the education minister to resign in July. On Sunday, thousands protested in Delhi and Mumbai, where Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray led demonstrations. Police have detained demonstrators for three consecutive days. At the heart of the dispute is the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which critics say could disenfranchise millions. The Wall Street Journal reported about 70 million names removed in states where the revision is final, and 60 million from draft rolls. The Election Commission says the exercise removes duplicate and ineligible entries. India's Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear petitions challenging the poll body's voter drive.
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