India delays ODI squad announcement for New Zealand tour, awaiting India A performances
The Delhi Police detained opposition MPs on Wednesday as they attempted to stage a second consecutive day of protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protesting MPs were subsequently released after police stopped buses carrying them before reaching Jantar Mantar, a day following the police's halting of an INDIA bloc leaders' march to the Election Commission office. The detained MPs attempted to stage a sit-in after their buses were stopped but were removed following a brief struggle.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced the decision to hold an impromptu protest at Jantar Mantar after hosting INDIA bloc leaders for lunch at a restaurant in Janpath, central Delhi. "Today, we will hold a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar. Until our demands are met, we will continue to stage such protests," Kharge told reporters. The Congress-led INDIA bloc is demanding CEC Kumar's resignation following an Indian Express report that the two Election Commissioners had formally raised objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions they claimed were taken without their knowledge.
The Election Commission stated that disagreements are normal in a multi-member institution and that all decisions were ultimately taken unanimously by all three members. The Congress party declared October 7 a 'black day' for Indian democracy and called for massive protests on Thursday, instructing all Pradesh, District, and Block Congress Committees to organize demonstrations.
