In brief
In a volatile rally in Delhi, multiple opposition MPs were detained by police while marching toward the Election Commission headquarters, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over contentious voter roll revisions. Rahul Gandhi and other MPs were briefly confined to a police bus before resuming the march and initiating a sit‑in. The protest follows allegations that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls may have removed eligible voters and favored the ruling BJP. The incident has sparked a backlash that now reaches the Supreme Court, which has called for a full response from the Election Commission regarding alleged unilateral decisions by Kumar.
Opposition MPs were detained by Delhi police as they marched towards the Election Commission headquarters in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka, along with other lawmakers, were force‑moved onto a police bus. They were released shortly after and resumed the march, culminating in a sit‑in near the commission’s office.
The row dates back to the commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. Despite claims of purging duplicate entries, opposition parties accuse the exercise of disenfranchising eligible voters and benefiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
“Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign,” Rahul Gandhi mocked the chief on Twitter, echoing the three non‑negotiable demands outlined by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
The protest saw police blockades on the route between Parliament and the commission’s headquarters. Security officials, including the Central Reserve Police Force and Rapid Action Force, were deployed to intercept protesters and transport them to multiple police stations.
The incident has triggered a federal response. The Supreme Court has asked both the government and the Election Commission to explain alleged unilateral decisions by Kumar, noting that all major decisions must be taken by unanimous or majority vote within the three‑member body.
Police remain heightened around the Election Commission offices, and the next wave of demonstrations is slated for October 10th, following a call by a Gen‑Z satirical movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party.
