On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc marched from Parliament House to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protest, which included 237 MPs from 19 parties, was aimed at securing a meeting with the CEC to address concerns about voter registration changes and the integrity of the electoral process.
During the march, Delhi Police detained several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K.C. Venugopal, and others. The police used body cameras on the officers involved and moved to Akashvani Bhavan to evict the protesting MPs. Traffic in key New Delhi arteries such as Connaught Place, Parliament Street, and Jantar Mantar was severely disrupted by barricades and diversions, prompting the Delhi Traffic Police to issue advisories urging commuters to avoid the affected routes.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were briefly held in a police van and later released from detention by the end of the day. The leaders were taken to the Kingsway Camp police lines in North Delhi, where they were escorted out of the vehicle. The release was announced by Congress, which stated that the detentions were a consequence of the protest against the CEC.
The ECI clarified that it had not received any formal meeting request from the opposition and that, according to protocol, meetings with MPs should be held within its premises. The commission rejected the proposal to hold a meeting at the Parliament House annex, citing procedural irregularities. Meanwhile, the BJP and other parties criticized the protest as an attempt to create confusion and undermine democratic processes.
The incident highlighted heightened security measures around the ECI, with the Rapid Action Force and other police units deployed to maintain order. It also underscored ongoing tensions between the opposition and the ruling government over electoral reforms and the conduct of the Election Commission.
