Opposition leaders protest over alleged irregularities in electoral-roll revision; Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge stage dharna after march is stopped
New Delhi, Oct 2026 : INDIA bloc MPs on Tuesday marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in the national capital, carrying Tricolours and banners reading “Save Democracy” and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest is part of the Opposition’s ongoing campaign against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc has accused the Election Commission of failing to ensure transparency in the revision exercise, allegations that the poll panel has rejected.
As the MPs moved towards Nirvachan Sadan, they raised slogans against the CEC, the BJP and the RSS. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were among the prominent leaders participating in the demonstration.
However, the march was stopped before the leaders could reach the Election Commission headquarters. Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and several other Opposition leaders subsequently staged a dharna at the spot.
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee and SP MP Dharmendra Yadav were also seen participating in the march and raising slogans.
The DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party did not participate in Tuesday’s march, despite the broader Opposition campaign against the SIR exercise and the demand for the CEC’s resignation.
Congress MP Pawan Khera, who was carrying a “Save Democracy” banner, said the protest marked only the beginning of the Opposition’s campaign.
“This is just the beginning. This issue will go a long way,” Khera told IANS.
Congress leader Ragini Nayak also defended the protest, saying the Opposition was seeking to protect the democratic process and the constitutional rights of voters.
The demonstration prompted heightened security arrangements in central Delhi. Delhi Police and other security forces were deployed along the protest route, while barricades were erected near the Election Commission headquarters to regulate the movement of protesters.
Authorities had imposed restrictions on gatherings in and around Jantar Mantar under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Police officials said the objective was to maintain peace and public order and prevent any untoward incident during the protest.
The INDIA bloc has been intensifying its campaign over the SIR process in recent weeks, with opposition parties alleging that changes to electoral rolls could affect eligible voters. The Election Commission has maintained that the revision is intended to update electoral rolls and remove duplicate or ineligible entries.
The protest also comes amid continuing legal scrutiny of issues related to electoral-roll revisions. The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Election Commission and the government on petitions concerning changes to voter rolls and the SIR exercise.
The Opposition has said it will continue its campaign demanding greater transparency in the electoral-roll revision process and accountability from the Election Commission.
The ECI’s official directory lists Gyanesh Kumar as the serving Chief Election Commissioner, a position he assumed in February 2025.
