Last Updated on October 7, 2026 10:02 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
ANDALIB AKHTER
NATIONAL Delhi witnessed dramatic scenes for the second consecutive day as Delhi Police detained prominent Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, alongside multiple INDIA bloc lawmakers, during an prohibited march toward Jantar Mantar.
The high-stakes opposition mobilization is part of an ongoing nationwide campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, the suspension of the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and a return to traditional paper ballots.
Key Developments & Escalations:
The Flash Protest and Route Blockade:Heavily fortified by multi-layer barricades and thousands of security personnel under Section 163 of the BNSS, law enforcement blocked the opposition march near Ashoka Road and Janpath.
Physical Confrontations and Sit-ins:Tensions boiled over when Priyanka Gandhi staged a roadside sit-in holding a copy of the Constitution.She later alleged that she was aggressively manhandled and scratched by police personnel before being physically lifted and bundled into a detention bus. Rahul Gandhi similarly resisted security forces before being taken into custody.
Releases and Vows to Continue:Following their brief detention and subsequent release from the Barakhamba Road police station, Rahul Gandhi asserted that the INDIA bloc would not back down.He vowed that the agitation to safeguard institutional integrity would persist until CEC Gyanesh Kumar steps down.
Earlier Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi threw down the gauntlet at the Centre, declaring that even if the government registers “100 FIRs” against the INDIA bloc, the opposition will not be deterred from its fight over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Gandhi also stepped up the pressure on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding that he resign over the controversy surrounding SIR.
“Register 100 FIRs, we will not back down,” Gandhi said, signalling that the INDIA bloc intends to intensify its campaign against the Election Commission rather than retreat under government pressure.
The political temperature rose sharply in the national capital as INDIA bloc leaders and supporters gathered near Windsor Place, close to Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was held amid heavy deployment of central security forces.
The street mobilisation came a day after the opposition’s march towards the Election Commission, with INDIA bloc leaders accusing the poll panel of failing to address their concerns over the electoral roll revision.
In a bid to keep the pressure campaign alive, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted INDIA bloc leaders for a luncheon meeting at Sagar Ratna. The meeting comes against the backdrop of the Opposition’s “Vote Chori” campaign targeting the Election Commission and its leadership.
The message from the INDIA bloc was unmistakable: yesterday’s march was not the end of the campaign—it was only the beginning.
With the Opposition turning the issue into a sustained political battle, the confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the Election Commission is set to intensify in the days ahead.
Political Fallout: The Congress party vehemently condemned the actions of authorities, labeling it an authoritarian crackdown on democratic rights. Conversely, the BJP countered by circulating video footage alleging that Rahul Gandhi pushed a female police officer during the tense scuffle.
The protests follow weeks of escalating friction over the ECI’s voter roll revisions—deepened further by internal dissents recorded by fellow election commissioners—setting the stage for further nationwide opposition rallies later in the week.