Heavy rain in the national capital forced the INDIA bloc to postpone its much-publicised “public impeachment” programme against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, which was scheduled for Friday in New Delhi. Opposition leaders said the decision was taken by consensus after bad weather disrupted arrangements. The symbolic protest is now expected to take place on October 31, while a larger opposition march to Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan is planned for November 1.

The programme was to be held at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence after the opposition reportedly failed to secure permission for venues such as the Constitution Club and Talkatora Stadium. Senior leaders from several opposition parties, including Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and CPI(M), had met a day earlier to finalise the event. The opposition has been campaigning over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and continues to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Congress leaders have accused the Centre of preventing the protest by denying permission for the original venue, alleging that democratic voices are being suppressed. Despite the postponement, opposition parties have reiterated that their campaign against the Election Commission’s actions will continue, with the rescheduled programme on October 31 followed by a joint rally on November 1 aimed at mobilising support against the electoral roll revision process.