Rahul Gandhi Files Supreme Court Petition Over Voter Deletions
Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders filed a writ petition challenging the Election Commission of India over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision process.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court of India on October 12, 2026, challenging the Election Commission of India. The petition alleges large-scale voter deletions and irregularities during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which the petitioners claim threaten electoral fairness.
The legal action coincided with the INDIA bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' march, led by Gandhi from Connaught Place toward the court to protest alleged vote theft. The petition names Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as respondents. While Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a meeting with opposition MPs, he affirmed that the court's doors remain open to all citizens and permitted a small delegation to submit the filing.
The challenge follows protests in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar over allegations that he made unilateral decisions regarding the SIR. While the Supreme Court previously restrained police from detaining peaceful protestors and journalists, new petitions allege continued illegal detentions. The Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the claims as baseless, asserting that the court has already ruled on the constitutionality of the SIR exercise.
