India’s election commission has addressed concerns over recent voter roll revisions, clarifying that the flagged entries reflect an ongoing draft process that has yet to be completed. The commission emphasized that individuals mistakenly removed from the rolls have the opportunity to re-enroll.

The issue has sparked political tensions, with BJP president Nitin Nabin accusing opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) of attempting to destabilize the country by orchestrating protests purportedly influenced by foreign entities. Earlier in the week, Mr. Gandhi and several other opposition figures were detained during demonstrations against Prime Minister Kumar.

On Friday, opposition leaders, led by Mr. Gandhi, met with President Droupadi Murmu to raise their concerns regarding the election commission’s handling of the voter roll revisions. They demanded the removal of Prime Minister Kumar, citing what they describe as undemocratic practices connected to the election process.

The election commission has maintained that the revision exercise aims to clean the voter registry and is conducted in accordance with established protocols. Meanwhile, the opposition continues to challenge the credibility and transparency of the process, asserting that the changes threaten the integrity of upcoming elections. The government and opposition remain at odds as the situation develops.