The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee is set to hold a ‘Save Democracy’ protest march in Agartala on October 8, intensifying its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The protest is part of the Congress party’s nationwide campaign against the Election Commission and will bring the issue of electoral-roll revision to the streets of Tripura’s capital.
Protest to Begin at Agartala Press Club
According to Tripura Pradesh Congress president Asish Kumar Saha, the protest will begin at the Agartala Press Club and proceed towards the office of the District Magistrate of West Tripura.
Congress workers and supporters are expected to stage a demonstration at the end of the march.
The programme is being organised as part of the All India Congress Committee’s nationwide ‘Save Democracy’ campaign. The state Congress has also appealed to opposition parties, NGOs and prominent citizens to participate in the demonstration.
Saha urged political parties that support the campaign to join the protest and called on people to participate in large numbers.
Congress Opposes Special Intensive Revision
The central issue behind the protest is the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Congress has opposed the SIR exercise, arguing that the process could affect eligible voters if names are removed or changes are made without adequate safeguards and transparency.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that electoral-roll revision is intended to improve the accuracy and integrity of voter lists by identifying issues such as duplicate, deceased or otherwise ineligible entries.
The disagreement over the process has become a major point of confrontation between the Congress-led Opposition and the Election Commission.
Demand for Action Against Gyanesh Kumar
The Tripura Congress has also intensified its criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Saha has described the CEC’s actions as “undemocratic and unconstitutional” and said the party would continue raising its concerns through democratic protests.
The demand comes amid a wider Opposition campaign calling for Kumar’s resignation and questioning the functioning of the Election Commission.
The issue has also led to protests in other parts of Tripura in recent weeks, with Congress leaders and workers organising demonstrations in Agartala and several districts.
Campaign Began With Candlelight March
The latest Agartala protest follows a series of programmes organised by the Tripura Congress.
The party held a candlelight march in Agartala on October 2, followed by similar programmes in districts including Dharmanagar, Khowai and Bishalgarh.
The district-level campaign is scheduled to conclude with the October 8 demonstration in Agartala.
Congress has said the protests are part of a broader national campaign focused on protecting democratic institutions and raising concerns over the electoral process.
Block-Level Programmes to Follow
The Tripura Congress is also preparing to expand the campaign beyond the district-level demonstrations.
According to Saha, block-level programmes will begin from October 10 as part of the next phase of the nationwide campaign. Similar programmes are expected to be organised across Tripura and West Bengal.
The party’s strategy indicates that it intends to keep the issue active at the grassroots level rather than limit the campaign to state capitals or major political gatherings.
Opposition Mobilisation Over Election Process
The Tripura protest comes at a time when Opposition parties across the country have increased their pressure on the Election Commission over the SIR exercise and other electoral concerns.
INDIA bloc leaders have also held demonstrations in Delhi demanding action against Gyanesh Kumar. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders have participated in the protests, making the Election Commission a major point of political confrontation.
In Tripura, the Congress is now seeking to translate that national campaign into a state-level mobilisation.
The October 8 demonstration in Agartala will therefore be closely watched as the party attempts to build public participation around its ‘Save Democracy’ campaign and its objections to the electoral-roll revision process.