CJI Rejects Opposition Call for Meeting Over Electoral Revision and CEC

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has declined an appointment requested by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge. The opposition leaders had sought an audience to raise concerns regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the Chief Election Commissioner.

In response to the formal request sent via email, the CJI indicated that holding an administrative discussion would not be appropriate given that matters concerning the revision exercise are currently sub judice before the Supreme Court. The communication noted that the judiciary does not intervene in executive administrative operations through private meetings; however, the leaders remain free to pursue remedies through judicial proceedings.

The CJI’s office further highlighted that if any opposition members choose to file a legal petition, it could be tagged and taken up alongside existing petitions challenging the SIR process, which are already scheduled for an upcoming Supreme Court hearing.

The development follows an announcement by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge indicating that opposition parties planned to march to the top court to submit a formal memorandum. Their demands included a complete withdrawal of the SIR exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

A bench presided over by CJI Surya Kant previously affirmed the Election Commission of India’s authority to undertake the revision process. The same bench is actively hearing petitions contesting multiple actions by the CEC that were purportedly carried out without the consensus of the full Election Commission.