INDIA Bloc Protests Election Commission Over Electoral Roll Revisions
Opposition leaders led protests in New Delhi against the Election Commission of India, resulting in mass detentions and a dispute over formal meeting requests.
Leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, marched from Parliament House toward Nirvachan Bhawan on Tuesday to protest the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The demonstration included an eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan that locked down Parliament Street, leading to demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Delhi Police forcibly detained Gandhi and approximately 250 others, including Derek O'Brien and K C Venugopal, after 8 p.m. The detainees were released late that night. Following the protests, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge convened a lunch meeting for Opposition MPs in New Delhi to strategize against what they termed the vote chori issue and to sign a letter formally requesting an appointment with the Chief Election Commissioner.
The Election Commission of India denied that any formal appointment had been sought through authorized representatives by 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The commission described the Opposition's request as unusual, noting that the proposed venue—the Parliament annexe—violated a 2025 protocol requiring all such meetings to occur at the commission's headquarters.
