Indian opposition parties to launch protests over alleged manipulation of voter lists

NEW DELHI, Sept 30 - An alliance of India's opposition parties said on Wednesday it would launch protests to "save democracy" after a newspaper report said the Election Commission pushed large-scale voter list changes despite two commissioners questioning the process.

• Opposition parties say the lists were manipulated to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.

• The Election Commission of India rejects the charges and says differences are normal in any institution and all its actions were lawful.

• The planned protests, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, include a march to the Election Commission office on October 6, a rally in New Delhi on November 1, and a representation to the president, the main opposition Congress party said.

• The decisions were taken at a meeting of the INDIA alliance, which includes some two dozen opposition parties, of which 20 attended Wednesday's meeting.

• "We are going to ensure that the people who have destroyed Indian democracy are punished," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters after the meeting.

• The "cockroach" youth movement, whose protests led to the education minister's resignation in July, has also demanded Kumar's resignation, and is set to launch a protest on Friday. REUTERS