Nearly 200 members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) have reportedly sought a resolution condemning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s march to the Supreme Court on October 12, when thousands of party workers accompanied him as he moved to file a petition against the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Gandhi subsequently entered the Supreme Court to file a petition seeking an independent, time-bound investigation into decisions allegedly taken unilaterally by Kumar. The petition named the Election Commission of India, Kumar and two other election commissioners as respondents. The march followed days of Opposition protests demanding Kumar’s resignation, with political leaders alleging electoral roll manipulation and raising concerns over the SIR exercise.
It was flagged for 14 defects, including a shortfall of ₹ 220 in court fees, an illegible photocopy of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s identity card and missing vakalatnamas for nine of the 11 petitioners.
The members have written to the SCBA secretary and its executive committee, arguing that the march amounted to a display of political and numerical strength that could exert indirect pressure on judges and undermine the rule of law, according to Bar and Bench .
Several Opposition leaders, including Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Tejashwi Yadav, had gathered at the Constitution Club before the march.
