Guwahati: The INDIA bloc on Wednesday finalised a joint action plan on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, including rallies, demonstrations and “Save Democracy” marches, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge saying all alliance parties had agreed to demand a return to ballot-paper voting instead of EVMs.

The decision was taken at a three-and-a-half-hour meeting of INDIA bloc leaders in New Delhi, attended by Kharge, former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule, among others.

At a joint press briefing after the meeting, Kharge said the alliance had agreed on a coordinated programme of protests over the SIR exercise and electoral issues.

He said “Save Democracy” marches involving young people and NGOs would be held from October 2 to 8, along with demonstrations outside district magistrates’ offices.

All opposition MPs would march to the Election Commission on October 6, Kharge said. Leaders of Opposition would also seek an appointment with the President of India and submit a representation in the second week of October on what he described as the “vote chori government”.

Kharge said the INDIA bloc would also hold five major rallies, with their dates and venues to be decided later. He said the alliance would explain to people its concerns over what he alleged was the denial of their right to elect their government.

On the demand to replace EVMs with ballot papers, Kharge said all parties had agreed that elections should be conducted through ballot papers. He also called for the annulment of laws framed by the present government that, in his words, were linked to the “vote chori” issue.

The INDIA bloc leaders also appealed to the Supreme Court to expedite cases concerning the SIR exercise and alleged electoral malpractices, Kharge said.

He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were behind decisions of the Election Commission, while describing the commission as being used as a front.

Rahul Gandhi said opposition parties were of the view that the country’s democratic structure had been undermined by Modi, Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He said the opposition would continue its campaign and seek accountability for what he described as attacks on democracy and elections.

Banerjee described the issue as a serious matter and called for Kumar’s resignation. She said the agitation would be intensified if he was not removed.

Leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, All India Trinamool Congress, NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, CPI(M), CPI, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, CPI-ML, IUML, Kerala Congress (M), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Kerala Congress (Jacob) and All India Forward Bloc attended the meeting. Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal was also present.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM chief Hemant Soren participated online, Kharge said.

The meeting came days after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR exercise, which they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.