INDIA bloc leaders protest outside poll panel office, demand meeting with CEC Gyanesh Kumar and raise concerns over electoral roll revision
New Delhi, Oct 2026 : Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that around 300 MPs from both Houses of Parliament were stopped by police while marching towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) office to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the other Election Commissioners.
The INDIA bloc MPs had marched from the Parliament complex towards the ECI headquarters to protest against Kumar and demand his resignation amid their concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The march was halted by police on Parliament Street, following which opposition leaders staged a sit-in.
Addressing reporters after the march was stopped, Gandhi said the MPs wanted to meet the three members of the poll panel but were prevented from proceeding further.
“Around 300 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs came here. We wanted to meet Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues. The police stopped us here. We are representatives of the people of India and represent the voice of the country,” he said.
Gandhi questioned why the MPs were not being allowed to proceed when the Election Commission office was located nearby.
“The Election Commission is just 50 yards away, but they are not allowing us to go there. I don't understand what the problem is. The Election Commission's job is to conduct elections properly. Three hundred MPs want to meet Gyanesh Kumar,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that the denial of access to elected representatives raised questions about democratic functioning. He said the MPs had gathered to raise concerns on behalf of people and seek answers from the poll panel.
Asked about the BJP's allegation that he was making false claims, Gandhi said he was not concerned about the ruling party's response.
“I don't care what the BJP says. I am here to save the democracy of India. With me, there were 300 MPs here, and they are here to save democracy,” he said.
Gandhi also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of undermining democratic institutions. He alleged that the electoral process had been compromised through what he described as “vote chori”.
“You will see, I am saying this: there will be action against all four. You will see that no one will be spared,” Gandhi said, referring to Modi, Shah, Bhagwat and Kumar.
He further described the alleged actions as “treason” and asserted that those responsible would face accountability.
The protest comes amid a wider opposition campaign against the SIR exercise and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and maintained that the revision process is intended to ensure accurate electoral rolls.
The march saw the participation of several opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc MPs. Some opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, were subsequently detained after the march was halted.
The opposition has said it will continue its campaign over electoral-roll revision and its demand for accountability from the Election Commission. The latest protest has further intensified the political confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the BJP-led government over the conduct of the electoral process.
