Rahul Gandhi and several INDIA bloc leaders staged a sit-in protest in New Delhi on Tuesday after their ‘Save Democracy’ march to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters was stopped by security personnel.
The demonstration was part of the opposition alliance’s wider campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and allegations of irregularities in the voter revision process.
The protest was held on Parliament Street after security forces prevented the opposition leaders from moving towards Nirvachan Sadan, the headquarters of the Election Commission. Rahul Gandhi, along with several other members of parliament, joined the dharna and security was beefed up in the area.
All of the INDIA bloc has expressed concern that if the electoral rolls are reorganized and voters on them are not counted correctly, the change of electoral rolls will cause voters to be dropped. Opposition leaders have repeatedly questioned the Election Commission’s handling of the voter lists and have called for more transparency in the process.
Rahul Gandhi also targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the protest. In a post on X, he wrote, “Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign.” The statement came as the opposition and the Election Commission have been in a heated fight over electoral roll changes.
Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign. #IndiaAllianceMarch https://t.co/9ZB6aJfakl
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 6, 2026
Several prominent opposition leaders were present in the sit-in. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant were among them. Their participation was indicative of the INDIA bloc’s effort to present a unified front on the SIR issue.
But not every INDIA bloc constituent participated in the march. The AAP and DMK were absent from the protest. But despite the absence of key alliance partners, there were a lot of opposition MPs and supporters in the demonstration.
Security arrangements were taken into account at the protest site. Delhi Police deployed more troops, drones, and anti-riot Vajra vehicles as the march was stopped near the NITI Aayog office. The move was to prevent the procession from going on to the Election Commission headquarters.
Some opposition lawmakers also carried cutouts featuring CEC Gyanesh Kumar in an RSS uniform, reflecting the sharp political nature of the protest. The opposition has continued to complain about how the Election Commission has failed to address their concerns about electoral rolls and the SIR process.
But the Election Commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rejected allegations of systemic electoral manipulation. The poll panel has claimed that the electoral process is under the control of established processes and has tried to counter what it says are untrue claims on voter registration and revision.
The latest fight also highlights a dispute over Form 6 used in voter enrolment. Rahul Gandhi has raised questions regarding Form 6 in the context of the SIR exercise, and the Election Commission has provided an extensive response.
The ECI stated that the SIR order in Bihar was issued on June 24, 2025, with unanimous approval of the Commission. It also referred to a Supreme Court judgment dated May 27, 2026, and its September 26, 2026 press note regarding the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR.
According to the Election Commission, Rahul Gandhi's comment about the Form 6 process was misleading. The poll panel's response is part of a wider move by the poll panel to respond to allegations from opposition leaders on electoral roll revision and voter enrolment.
The dispute comes as the INDIA bloc is on its week-long nationwide campaign from October 2 to October 8. The protests are focused on the opposition’s concerns regarding SIR, voter deletions, and the functioning of the Election Commission.
Politics is in the political tension that has taken center stage in the electoral roll revision in India’s election process. The opposition has called for accountability and transparency in the election process, and the Election Commission has defended its procedures and denied that there is any form of systematic manipulation.
The SIR controversy will continue to be a major political issue for both sides. The latest protest in Delhi has only intensified the dispute as Rahul Gandhi and other opposition members are calling for action against the Chief Election Commissioner while the Election Commission maintains that the process is being conducted according to the established rules.
