INDIA bloc demands paper ballots following vote manipulation claims

The memorandum, which the coalition claims represents over 60 percent of the Indian population, levels accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The document asserts that the BJP has engaged in large-scale "vote chori" across several states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. Opposition leaders argue that the Election Commission has failed its constitutional mandate, specifically accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of misleading the Supreme Court to obscure systemic failures.

To address these grievances, the coalition has demanded the immediate resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner and the repeal of a 2023 law granting lifetime immunity to election officials. Furthermore, the memorandum calls for the restoration of 13.3 million voters allegedly deleted from rolls, the suspension of the SIR, and a return to paper ballot voting to ensure transparency. Invoking Article 326 of the Constitution, the leaders urged President Murmu to act as the final guardian of the republic, warning that the current electoral trajectory threatens the foundational right to vote and the accountability of constitutional institutions.