Monsoon Session: Rahul, Priyanka released from detention; LS passes I-T Bill
MPs from several parties marched from Parliament to the Election Commission but were stopped midway by police amid high drama
All the Opposition MPs detained on their way to the Election Commission office on Monday (August 11) to voice their protest against the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and alleged “vote chori” were released after about two hours, police officials said.
More than 30 MPs, including Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and TMC's Sagarika Ghose, were detained and taken to the Parliament Street Police Station. The Election Commission had only given permission to 30 MPs to enter its premises but the protesters were in “large numbers”, officials said.
Besides, no one had sought permission for the protest march to the Election Commission, they said.
The MPs from various parties took out a protest march from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters, about a kilometre away, but were stopped midway by police amid high drama.
Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge returned to Parliament, and the proceedings of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha began. Despite protests, the Lok Sabha passed two important Bills.
Earlier in the day, Opposition MPs, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar took out the march to protest against the voter roll revision in Bihar. However, they were stopped by police midway at Transport Bhawan.
Wearing white caps with a red cross on the words 'SIR' and "vote chori", the protesting MPs raised slogans against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar while carrying placards and banners. Before embarking on the protest march at Parliament's Makar Dwar, they sang the national anthem.
Police had made elaborate arrangements and placed barricades next to the Transport Bhawan on Parliament street to stop the protesting MPs from moving forward. The police asked the MPs not to proceed further and made announcement through a loudspeaker, as they were prevented from moving forward to the Election Commission headquarters, a short distance from Parliament House.
Prominent among those who participated in the march were T R Baalu (DMK), Sanjay Raut (SS-UBT), Derek O'Brien (TMC), Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, as well as other MPs from opposition parties like the DMK, the RJD, Left parties.
TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Sushmita Dev and Congress' Sanjana Jatav and Jothimani climbed the barricades at Transport Bhawan and raised slogans against the EC when they were prevented from moving forward by the police.
They held posters and raised slogans, demanding a rollback of the SIR.
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INDIA bloc MPs protest in Parliament complex over Bihar SIR, 'vote theft'
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Live Updates
- 11 Aug 2025 2:43 PM IST
Sitharaman urges support for Manipur Bills; all three passed in RS amid Oppn ruckus
As Deputy Chairman Harivansh takes the Chair, Opposition MPs continue raising slogans of Vote Chori Bandh Karo and demanding a discussion on SIR.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urges Opposition to support the passage of the Bills as they had "taken a lot of interest in Manipur" during earlier sessions.
All 3 Manipur Bills cleared by Rajya Sabha and returned to Lok Sabha amid din.
- 11 Aug 2025 2:41 PM IST
Congress slams Nadda for ‘dictating to Chair’; Oppn protests on Manipur Bills continues
Congress deputy leader Pramod Tiwari objects to Nadda "dictating to the Rajya Sabha Chair what should and should not go on record".
Patra cuts Tiwari short and asks Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to respond to the discussion on the Manipur Bills as Opposition MPs begin to troop into the Well of the House.
- 11 Aug 2025 2:36 PM IST
Kharge flags detention of Oppn MPs; remarks struck off Rajya Sabha record
A small batch of Opposition MPs, including LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, have returned to Rajya Sabha.
Amid discussion on the Bills related to Manipur, Sasmit Patra, who is presiding over House proceedings, concedes Kharge's request to intervene. Kharge raises the issue of Opposition MPs being prevented from marching to the EC earlier today and being detained by the police.
Leader of the House, JP Nadda urges Patra that nothing Kharge said should be taken on record as it is not in connection with the Manipur Bills that have already been taken up for discussion.
Patra says Kharge's remarks won't go on record, prompting protests by the Opposition.
- 11 Aug 2025 2:04 PM IST
Detained 30 Opposition MPs for marching to EC office without permission: Delhi Police
Delhi Police on Monday said that it has detained over 30 opposition MPs, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and TMC's Sagarika Ghose for holding a march to the Election Commission’s office without permission.
Police said no one had sought permission for the protest march to the Election Commission. They also said that the opposition leaders were detained and taken to Parliament Street Police Station, as only the Election Commission had only given permission to 30 MPs to enter its premises, but the protesters were in "large numbers"
- 11 Aug 2025 1:49 PM IST
Congress MP Sanjana Jatav faints during EC march, taken to RML Hospital
Congress MP Sanjana Jatav was brought to RML Hospital after she fainted during the opposition's protest march to the Election Commission.
- 11 Aug 2025 1:32 PM IST
EC avoiding MPs as it has no answers to questions: Priyanka Chaturvedi
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the Election Commission was unwilling to meet elected representatives because it lacked answers to their questions.
She questioned why MPs raising concerns about the electoral process are being treated like “thieves” or accused of acting against the nation’s interests.
- 11 Aug 2025 1:29 PM IST
Detained INDIA bloc MPs taken to Parliament street police station
INDIA bloc MPs detained by Delhi Police taken to Parliament Street Police Station.
Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda says, "The questions being raised on the fairness of the Election Commission are bad for the reputation of the country."
- 11 Aug 2025 1:15 PM IST
EC must address voter list doubts, should stop insisting on formalities: Tharoor
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned why the Election Commission could not give direct answers to concerns raised by Rahul Gandhi about the voters' list, instead of insisting on formalities like an oath or affidavit when the data cited is the EC’s very own data. He said it was in the Commission’s interest to dispel public doubts over electoral integrity, noting that the flaws pointed out could be easily addressed to counter fears of voter list manipulation.
- 11 Aug 2025 1:11 PM IST
Only 30 MPs allowed by the EC; detained for marching large numbers: New Delhi DCP
New Delhi DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla said the Election Commission had permitted only 30 MPs to meet its officials. As the protesting INDIA bloc MPs arrived in larger numbers, police detained them. He added that 30 MPs would be taken to the EC office once their names were provided.
- 11 Aug 2025 1:06 PM IST
Govt afraid to let Opposition reach EC, says 30-MP limit ‘not feasible’: Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge backed Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, saying the government’s refusal to allow the Opposition to even go towards the Election Commission has shown the government is afraid of something. Calling the INDIA bloc’s protest a peaceful demonstration by senior leaders, he said the EC could have handled the situation differently and that restricting the march to 30 MPs from all alliance parties was "not feasible."
