New Delhi, October 06— A protest march by INDIA bloc parties in New Delhi on Tuesday culminated in the detention of several opposition leaders, including Congress figures Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, after they were stopped by police from reaching the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the standoff occurred at Akashvani Bhawan premises on Parliament Street, where the leaders were attempting to proceed towards Nirvachan Sadan, the ECI’s office, to press demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The opposition’s march, which began from Parliament Street, was halted by security personnel near Akashvani Bhawan and the old Planning Commission building. Following the police action, prominent leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien, were taken into detention.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with other Members of Parliament, initially found themselves unable to move forward and staged a sit-in protest on the road. Visuals from the scene showed Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee climbing over a police barricade. Priyanka Gandhi was briefly escorted to a waiting bus, but she later disembarked and rejoined her brother near the Akashvani Bhawan gate.
Despite repeated requests from law enforcement to vacate the area, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises through the reception gate. They were later seen seated under a tree within the complex, continuing their protest and insisting on their right to proceed to the ECI office. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma arrived at the location with a substantial police presence to manage the situation and facilitate the eviction of the protesting opposition members.
During the demonstration, opposition MPs were observed carrying placards depicting the Chief Election Commissioner in RSS attire and chanting slogans such as ‘BJP hi CEC hai’ (BJP is the CEC), ‘Vote chor, gaddi chhod’ (Vote thief, leave the vehicle), and ‘Democracy not for sale’. Rahul Gandhi later posted on the social media platform X, “Gyanesh it’s done bro. Time to resign.”
Heavy security arrangements, including extensive barricading, had been put in place around Parliament and the ECI headquarters in anticipation of the march. Security personnel were deployed in the vicinity well before the MPs began their assembly near Parliament’s Makar Dwar, from where they intended to march towards Nirvachan Sadan.
Members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also participated in the protest march alongside INDIA bloc MPs. A Congress spokesperson highlighted the opposition’s solidarity to counter what they termed the “nefarious designs of the PM-HM duo” (referring to the Prime Minister and Home Minister) in matters concerning alleged vote manipulation and delimitation exercises.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, stated that the march was a peaceful protest by the “India Jan Bandhan” and acknowledged the participation of BJD MPs, expressing confidence in the support of other opposition parties. He further commented on the “countdown to the exit of the Bharatiya Jhoot Party” beginning.
Ramesh detailed the sequence of events, noting that the march was intended to reach the Election Commission but was intercepted between Akashvani Bhawan and the old Planning Commission building. He indicated that the opposition plans a series of larger events, including a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, themed ‘vote bachao, desh bachao’, alongside block-level campaigns and intensive programs throughout November.
CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar voiced concerns that the Supreme Court’s observations on Monday had bolstered the opposition’s objections to an additional declaration form associated with Form 6 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He alleged that a press statement by the ECI on September 26, which claimed Supreme Court ratification of Form 6 processes, was misleading.
The opposition parties have been vocal about their concerns regarding Form 6 provisions since 2025. The Supreme Court, in its hearing on Monday, clarified that it had not approved any modified version of Form 6 and would review the ECI’s records to ascertain any alterations and their authorization. These remarks were made during the hearing of a petition challenging alleged unilateral decisions by the Chief Election Commissioner. The ECI’s September 26 statement had asserted that the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court.
The protest occurs amidst ongoing opposition allegations of irregularities in the SIR process and reports suggesting internal disagreements within the three-member Election Commission. The ECI has publicly refuted claims of a division, maintaining that decisions concerning the SIR were made unanimously.
The Chenab Times News Desk