India's chief justice declines meeting with Gandhi and Kharge

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has turned down Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge's request for a meeting on October 12. Indian media reported that the response was emailed on October 11.

The opposition leaders in Parliament's lower and upper houses had sought an appointment between 4pm and 5pm to present a memorandum concerning alleged electoral irregularities.

The New Indian Express reported that Kant cited related matters already before the Supreme Court, where he heads the relevant bench. An administrative meeting would not replace judicial consideration.

Gandhi had announced plans for opposition parties, civil society groups and young people to march to the Supreme Court. Their demands include Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, an end to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots. Declining the meeting does not constitute a judicial ruling on those demands.