Opposition parties march in Mumbai demanding action against election chief

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray led a protest march in Mumbai on Sunday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The march, called the Virat Garjana Morcha, began at Metro Cinema and was due to proceed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in south Mumbai. State leaders from Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) also took part.

Participants demanded Kumar’s removal or resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The source material did not provide details of the alleged irregularities or any response from Kumar or the Election Commission of India. Organisers did not allow party flags at the protest.

Participants and supporters were asked to carry only the national tricolour during the march. The action followed a separate protest held two days earlier by the Cockroach Janta Party at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. That demonstration was described as a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ against the Chief Election Commissioner.

The participation of the two Thackeray leaders placed the protest at the centre of opposition activity in Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackeray leads Shiv Sena (UBT), while Raj Thackeray heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. The source material identifies their participation and the demands made but does not indicate whether the march resulted in any immediate change by election authorities.

The march took place in central Mumbai over a short route between the Metro Cinema area and the civic headquarters. The report did not state how many people attended or whether any arrests or clashes occurred.