CJI declines meet with Opposition leaders

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has not agreed to meet Leaders of the Opposition after both of them wrote to him seeking time for a meeting on Monday to raise the ‘vote chori’ issue, sources said on Sunday night.

Leaders of Opposition (LoPs) in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha - Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge - had written to the CJI for a meeting with him between 4 and 5 pm on Monday to hand over a memorandum, demanding an end to ‘vote chori’, CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, halting of SIR and switching back to paper ballot.

“Response of Hon’ble CJI to the letter received from Leaders of Opposition has been sent in their official mail,” a source said.

The sources said that the CJI has not agreed to meet the LoPs. They did not elaborate further.

Opposition parties have announced a protest march to the Supreme Court on Monday over their demands. The Congress is calling it “Chalo Delhi - March for Democracy” and said they would converge at 1.30 pm at Connaught Place-Barakhamba Road junction.

In a post on X, Gandhi said the march to the Supreme Court would be by Indians united beyond parties, gender, caste, community and State.

“Yesterday, the nation’s young came out in Delhi to peacefully protest.  They came with love in their hearts, not hatred or anger. They were beaten, both by cops and BJP goons. This is not the India we want.  “Tomorrow, we will march to the Supreme Court as Indians, united beyond party, gender, caste, community and state. Youth, all Opposition parties, civil society groups, all those who believe in democracy and stand by the Constitution of India, will walk with us,” he said in his post.

Kharge earlier said in Bengaluru that he and Gandhi have sought a meeting with the CJI on Monday to seek his intervention on the issue of “vote chori”.

On Friday, leaders of various opposition parties of the INDIA bloc marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk and later handed over a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu.

Speaking in Bengaluru, Kharge also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have “created chaos” across the country, and the heavy police deployment and detentions during protests on Saturday show the Government’s “fear” of the youth agitation.

“We have sought a time between 4 and 5 pm. We will also apprise him, as we cannot demand. Only with folded hands, we can request him,” Kharge said about the meeting with CJI Surya Kant.

“With folded hands we will apprise him of the situation. Chaos is being created in the country by the home minister and the prime minister, and everywhere an undeclared emergency is imposed,” Kharge said, adding that they have both written letters to the CJI.