Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss allegations of “vote theft” and police action against people protesting over the issue and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In his letter, Singh alleged that more than 13 crore names had been deleted from electoral rolls. He claimed that political leaders, party workers, journalists, lawyers and other protesters who had raised their voices against the alleged deletions were subjected to police action.
He also alleged that restrictions on trains, metro services and internet connectivity had infringed upon citizens’ constitutional right to participate in peaceful demonstrations.
Singh said concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls needed to be addressed, while the Election Commission’s impartiality and accountability should also be examined.
In his letter, Singh urged the Prime Minister to convene a special session of Parliament at the earliest to discuss the allegations of vote theft, the reported deletion of more than 13 crore names from voter lists, and what he described as increasing incidents of police action, intimidation and detention of citizens exercising their democratic rights.
He said the alleged large-scale deletion of voters’ names in the name of SIR had raised serious questions about the integrity, transparency and fairness of the electoral process.
Singh argued that allegations of wrongful deletion on such a scale required clarification, accountability and comprehensive discussion in Parliament. He maintained that every eligible citizen must be able to exercise the constitutional right to vote without fear of being excluded from the electoral rolls.
Concerns over Election Commission’s impartiality
Singh said peaceful protests in New Delhi against alleged vote theft had also included demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters had raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and questioned the fairness of the election process.
He called for these concerns to be addressed transparently and sought accountability from the Election Commission regarding its independence and responsibility to ensure free and fair elections.
The AAP leader also expressed concern over reports of parliamentarians, political leaders, party workers, journalists, lawyers, students and other demonstrators being detained, manhandled or subjected to excessive force during protests.
He described allegations of women protesters being forcibly dragged and mistreated, including alleged misconduct by male police personnel, as particularly serious. He called for accountability in such cases.
Singh said the reported incidents raised significant constitutional concerns, citing Article 19(1)(b) of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to assemble peacefully and without arms.
He argued that peaceful protests and political dissent should not be suppressed through excessive force, arbitrary detention or blanket restrictions on public movement.
Objections to metro restrictions and detentions
The Rajya Sabha MP also questioned restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of demonstrations demanding the CEC’s resignation.
He claimed that entry and exit gates at 57 Delhi Metro stations had been closed before the planned protest. He said reports of widespread disruption to public transport and the detention of demonstrators raised questions about the proportionality of the restrictions, the right to peaceful assembly and citizens’ freedom of movement in the national capital.
Singh further referred to reports of lawyers, including senior advocates and women lawyers, being detained and allegedly subjected to physical mistreatment near the Supreme Court premises.
He called for an immediate inquiry into allegations of misconduct involving elected representatives, journalists, lawyers, students and political workers who were participating in demonstrations.
Singh said Parliament could not remain a silent spectator when questions were raised about electoral integrity and citizens exercising their constitutional rights allegedly faced detention or the use of force.
He described the right to vote, the right to dissent and the right to peaceful protest as essential pillars of democracy.
Seven issues proposed for parliamentary discussion
Singh urged the government to convene a special session to discuss the following issues:
Allegations of vote theft and the reported deletion of more than 13 crore names from electoral rolls.
Demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Concerns regarding the Election Commission’s impartiality and accountability.
Allegations of police excesses and the detention of MPs, political leaders, party workers, journalists and members of the public.
Safeguards against alleged mistreatment of women protesters.
The closure of metro stations, restrictions on peaceful assembly and the resulting inconvenience to the public.
Concrete measures to protect electoral integrity and democratic freedoms.
Singh said these were issues of national importance and should not be dismissed as partisan disagreements. He argued that Parliament should provide a platform for meaningful discussion, enabling the government to respond to the concerns raised and ensuring accountability.
Concluding his appeal, the AAP MP requested Modi to take up the matter with the government and convene a special session of Parliament at the earliest to discuss the allegations surrounding electoral roll revision, the functioning of the Election Commission and the treatment of protesters.
The allegations concerning voter deletions and police conduct were raised by Singh in his letter, and his demands form part of the ongoing political dispute over the SIR exercise and electoral fairness.
