File photo: Mamata Banerjee

NEW DELHI: The news of TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee arriving in Delhi on Thursday evening has heightened the anticipation that an appointment sought by INDIA bloc for a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu over the functioning of Election Commission and the SIR process may be coming soon.Opposition INDIA bloc parties have agreed to restrict their delegation to 10 as sought by the President Secretariat, sources said.There was no confirmation from opposition parties as of Wednesday night if they have received an appointment from the President’s Secretariat. Opposition has sought time any day between Oct 7-9 from the President and are awaiting a confirmation, sources said.The decision to write over this issue to the President was taken at the INDIA bloc meeting on Sept 30. After that, it is learnt that the bloc wrote seeking time from the President. It was conveyed by the President’s secretariat that it would need to restrict their contingent of leaders to not more than 10, sources said.The INDIA bloc has now written back agreeing to the request and they have been asked to restrict their delegation to 10 members, sources said.Meanwhile, even as the Opposition awaits eagerly to hear from the President’s secretariat for an appointment, CPI(M)’s Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas shared that his petition, seeking urgent constitutional intervention to safeguard the integrity of the Election Commission, the electoral rolls and the democratic franchise, has been forwarded to the legislative department of the govt.Brittas has received a reply from Rashtrapati Bhawan where it has been highlighted that the legislative department has to look into the petition and communicate the action taken in the matter to the petitioner directly.In his petition dated September 23, Brittas also drew the attention of the President to the pending parliamentary notice in Rajya Sabha seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

He recalled that a fresh notice was submitted in the Rajya Sabha on 24 April 2026, signed by 73 MPs, invoking the constitutional and statutory provisions governing removal for proved misbehaviour and setting out nine grounds in support of the notice.He has urged that the constitutional process contemplated under Article 324(5) be allowed to proceed without obstruction and that the Government extend the cooperation necessary for Parliament to discharge its constitutional responsibility.Brittas also urged that the President ensure that the union govt’s position before the Supreme Court supports effective protection of the franchise, including the annulment of the SIR exercise wherever it is found to be without authority of law or contrary to constitutional safeguards.