FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 14 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Grid Gap Wednesday, 30 September 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | PERSPECTIVE Page 12 Two golds lift India to 53 medals on Day 10 of Asian Games Pakistan faces tough questions Mediators working to broker US-Iran deal, but hurdles remain Page 14 Page 7 Page 6 INDIA bloc to meet to finalise joint strategy on CEC, SIR SC agrees to hear plea questioning ECI’s functioning STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 29 September T he Opposition INDIA bloc parties will meet at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi on Wednesday to work out a coordinated strategy to the Election Commission controversy, relating to reported differences within the poll panel over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the Opposition parties’ demand for action against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The meeting is expected to discuss a joint political and parliamentary strategy as well as plans for peaceful demonstrations across the country. Opposition parties have also been examining the possibility of a fresh removal motion against the CEC. The immediate trigger for the Opposition mobilisation CWC demands Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, halt to SIR, restoration of 13.30 crore names New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and restoration of 13 crore 30 lakh names that the party claims have been removed from electoral rolls. The resolution adopted by the CWC, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, described the alleged manipulation of electoral rolls as a grave threat to universal adult franchise and said the party would take the battle “in Parliament, in the courts and on the streets” until the Election Commission was restored as an independent constitutional authority. Page 5 was reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period over decisions and orders relating to the SIR exercise. The Election Commision, however, has rejected the suggestion that there was a division in the Commission over policy decisions, maintaining that decisions relating to the SIR were taken unanimously and in accordance with the law. The INDIA bloc meeting is expected to consider how far the individual campaigns of Opposition parties can be brought under a common programme, including coordinated protests and parliamentary action. Among the prominent leaders expected to participate are Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are also expected to attend. However, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is expected to stay away because of a prior commitment. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which have distanced themselves from the INDIA bloc, are unlikely to attend, but both are learnt to have agreed to sign a notice being prepared by the Opposition seeking the removal of CEC Kumar. New Delhi, 29 September The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear next week a plea questioning the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and seeking an explanation from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on the authority under which he allegedly exercised, unilaterally, powers vested collectively in the three-member poll panel. The petition also seeks a declaration that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and consequential measures taken pursuant to it are void for want of lawful exercise of authority. It also seeks the preservation and production of relevant ECI records, and constitution of an independent Judicial Inquiry Commission or Special Investigaton Team if the records disclose that decisions were taken without the Commission's approval. Seeking an early listing, senior advocate Vikas Singh told a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana that the statutory scheme required decisions of the multi-member Commission to be taken unanimously or, where there was a difference of opinion, by majority. He submitted that serious questions arose over whether the SIR had been undertaken pursuant to a valid decision of the Commission. The bench agreed to list the petition, filed by Patna resident Rakesh Kumar Singh, next week. CISF jawan kills officer, three other colleagues in J&K's Kathua STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jammu, 29 September Four Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, including an Assistant Commandant, were on Tuesday shot dead by a Head Constable following an argument at the Sewa Power Project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, sources said. The victims have been identified as Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh, Constable Rafiq Ahmed and Constable Sanjeev Kumar. The incident took place around 6.40 p.m. at the CISF unit deployed at the Sewa Power Project in Mashka village in Basohli, according to sources. The shooter, identified as Head Constable Avdesh Kumar Singh, allegedly entered the office premises and opened fire with his service AK-47 rifle. He was later overpowered by other personnel and handed over to the police.