Indian Opposition Vows to Continue Protesting Against Electoral Malpractices

The meeting assumes significance as it comes at a time when there is talk of the government convening a session of Parliament for early implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, with a constitutional amendment bill for delimitation. Last week, protests over allegations of'vote theft'reached the Supreme Court. On October 12, in a major show of strength in the national capital, opposition heavyweights along with activists took out a'democracy march '. During this, they marched through heavily barricaded roads and filed a joint petition against the'Special Intensive Revision'( SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging electoral malpractices. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi invited leaders of the India Alliance to tea at his home on October 13. After the meeting, the opposition alliance resolved to continue the protest and take this fight against'vote theft'to its logical conclusion. The Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on certain aspects of the electoral process on October 15.