New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged Delhi traders to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would stop “in 30 seconds” if the demand was met.
In a post on X, Gandhi accused the government of disrupting businesses through metro closures, road restrictions and other measures during protests.
He warned that alleged “vote theft” could threaten traders’ businesses, savings and children’s futures.
Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao ✊🏻 https://t.co/fr8A8jQvgS
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 26, 2026
His appeal came after the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) asked the INDIA bloc to postpone its November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan until after November 10, citing possible losses during the festive shopping season.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also renewed demands for Kumar’s resignation, an immediate halt to SIR, restoration of allegedly deleted voter names, repeal of the 2023 law protecting election commissioners and a return to paper ballots.
He alleged that the Election Commission had withheld information about SIR software under the justification of “Trade Secrets”.
Kharge also cited 16.18 lakh Form 6 applications in Uttar Pradesh whose details were allegedly not made public and discrepancies involving 10,470 voters in Pilibhit.
Following Congress allegations of voter-record manipulation in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa ordered scrutiny of Forms 6, 7 and 8 entered by computer assistants since April 10.
The allegations have not established electoral fraud, and the Election Commission’s response was not included in the statements provided.
