Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is detained and taken away in a police van during an INDIA bloc protest march towards the Election Commission of India (EC) office, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, at Akashvani Bhavan, in New Delhi, on Tuesday (October 6).
LIVE | Rahul, other Congress leaders released by Delhi Police after detention
Hours after the INDIA bloc MPs marched towards the EC office and staged a day-long protest, the poll panel said no political party sought an appointment through its authorised representatives for a meeting with it till 4 pm
Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders, who were detained after their over-eight-hour sit-in inside the Akashvani Bhawan premises, were released by the Delhi Police a little after 10 pm on Tuesday (October 6), the opposition party said.
High drama unfolded during the INDIA Bloc protest in New Delhi on Tuesday evening (October 6) after Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and others, were detained and taken away from the Akashvani Bhavan premises after their over eight-hour sit-in protest.
Police forcibly removed Rahul, Priyanka and Congress MPs and leaders, including K C Venugopal, Pawan Khera, K Suresh, Amarinder Singh, Raja Warring and Imran Pratapgarhi, as the All India Radio (AIR) premises were cleared of all protesting MPs.
Rahul had earlier entered the AIR premises on Parliament Street and started the dharna after police thwarted an attempt by opposition MPs to march towards the Election Commission office, barely 300 metres away, over the "vote chori" charge.
Also read: Six things to watch as SC examines EC’s decisions
The march by INDIA bloc leaders was the latest in a series of protests by politicians and civil activists calling for Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar's resignation after a September 25 Indian Express report suggested irregularities in the SIR process and differences among the election commissioners.
What EC said
Hours after the INDIA bloc MPs marched towards the EC office and staged a day-long protest, the poll panel on Tuesday evening said no political party sought an appointment through its authorised representatives for a meeting with it till 4 pm.
"Till 4 PM today, no political party, through its representatives, had sought an appointment for a meeting with the Election Commission," it said in a statement.
Around 4 pm, the Commission received information from Delhi Police that a delegation of MPs led by Gandhi wanted to meet it and submit a memorandum.
The EC said it had laid down a procedure for meetings with political parties in 2025, under which a delegation of a political party or a joint delegation of several parties seeks an appointment through its duly authorised representative.
The Commission said it respected parliamentary and democratic processes as well as its own protocols and conventions.
"Any political party may, at any time, request a meeting with the Election Commission," the poll panel said.
Rahul climbs atop police barricade
Earlier, they tried to march to the EC headquarters and entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises in a bid to reach the poll body’s office. After being prevented from proceeding further, they sat on the road in protest, around 200 metres from the EC office. Soon Rahul and TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee climbed atop a police barricade, while Priyanka was taken to an awaiting bus for being detained. However, she soon got off it and joined her brother at the Akashvani gate.
Also read | SC clarification on Form 6 gives Oppn fresh ammo against CEC day before EC office rally
While Rahul, Priyanka, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and TMC's Derek O’Brien and Abhishek were detained briefly, Rahul and Priyanka resumed their sit-in inside Akashvani Bhavan after being released. The Gandhi siblings and Deepinder Hooda entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises from the reception gate. They were later seen sitting under a tree.
Security was stepped up around the area, with multiple barricades put up and a Vajra vehicle and drones deployed to monitor the protest. Opposition MPs carried cutouts depicting Kumar in an RSS uniform and raised slogans, including “Vote chor, gaddi chhod” and “Democracy not for sale”. In a post on X, Rahul posted, “Gyanesh it's done bro. Time to resign".
The MPs first gathered at Parliament's Makar Dwar before heading to Nirvachan Sadan, the EC headquarters. Ahead of the march, they questioned the security arrangements and stepped up their demand for CEC Kumar's resignation, citing the Supreme Court's observations on changes to Form 6, the statutory application for enrolment as a voter. Congress MP Imran Masood accused Kumar of eroding public trust in the EC.
Also read | Six things to watch as SC examines EC’s decisions
The INDIA bloc MPs earlier announced that they would also meet President Droupadi Murmu to raise concerns over the SIR exercise. The protest call over the SIR exercise was issued after a meeting of 19 Opposition parties on September 30. The EC, however, has rejected allegations of a split among its three-member body and maintained that decisions relating to SIR were taken unanimously.
Scroll below for Live updates.
Live Updates
- 6 Oct 2026 11:29 AM IST
“Gyanesh, It’s Done, Bro”: Rahul Gandhi in X post
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said “Gyanesh, it’s done, bro” in an X post on Tuesday, referring to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as the INDIA bloc MPs staged a protest march to the Election Commission.
The remark came as Opposition MPs sought Kumar’s resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and their allegations concerning the poll panel’s handling of the exercise.
The INDIA bloc march from Parliament to the Election Commission was stopped by security personnel near the NITI Aayog office, after which several MPs, including Gandhi, staged a sit-in.
The Opposition has also raised questions over changes to Form 6, which is used for adding names to electoral rolls. The Election Commission has rejected the allegations and defended its handling of the voter-roll revision process.
- 6 Oct 2026 11:23 AM IST
Rahul, Priyanka lead sit-in after EC march stopped by police
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc MPs staged a sit-in on the road after police barricades stopped their march to the Election Commission headquarters. The protesters were around 200 metres from the ECI office.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also arrived at the spot, while Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant was among those present.
The MPs raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, including “vote chor”, as the protest continued near the barricades.
Heavy security arrangements were in place in the area, with multiple barricades deployed to stop the march. A Vajra vehicle was also stationed at the spot, while drones were used for surveillance.
- 6 Oct 2026 11:16 AM IST
INDIA Bloc march to ECI office stopped near NITI Aayog by security forces
The INDIA bloc MPs’ protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission was stopped by security personnel near the NITI Aayog office on Tuesday, as the Opposition sought to reach the poll body’s headquarters.
The march was organised to press for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and raise concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Opposition has also questioned changes to Form 6 and alleged irregularities in the handling of voter lists.
Security had been tightened across central Delhi ahead of the march, with around 4,000 Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel deployed in the New Delhi district, according to Hindustan Times. Police had said no permission had been granted for the march and that barricades would be placed along the route.
The INDIA bloc had announced the march as part of a wider campaign against the ECI and the SIR exercise.
- 6 Oct 2026 11:08 AM IST
Watch: INDIA Bloc MPs march to ECI, demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
INDIA bloc MPs march from Parliament to the ECI as Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and others demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- 6 Oct 2026 11:04 AM IST
Jaya Bachchan invokes Lord Ganesh during INDIA Bloc march
Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, speaking during the INDIA bloc MPs’ protest march to the Election Commission, invoked Lord Ganesh while referring to the Opposition’s prayers before the march.
Bachchan said Lord Ganesh would not support actions she described as wrong.
“He does not help with ‘wrong things’,” she said.
Referring to the Opposition’s invocation of Ganesh before beginning the prayers, Bachchan added, “He will protect us.”
- 6 Oct 2026 11:00 AM IST
BJD joins Opposition protest, Sulata Deo raises Odisha voter cuts
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sulata Deo said her party would join the Opposition-led protest, citing what she described as failures in the electoral system and large-scale deletions from voter rolls in Odisha and across the country.
“Our leader Naveen Patnaik's stance is very clear. He has stated that we are neither with the INDIA alliance nor with the NDA,” Deo said, adding that the BJD had a responsibility to speak for voters.
“What Gyanesh Kumar and the CEC did is a complete murder of the republic, democracy, and everything it stands for,” she told ANI.
Deo alleged that 27.5 lakh voters had been removed in Odisha and claimed that 13 crore names were deleted nationwide.
“Who told them to cut these names?” she asked, alleging that the deletions were carried out under political pressure.
She also questioned the process behind Form 6, asking, “On whose orders was Form 6 issued, and how many people does it affect?”
- 6 Oct 2026 10:51 AM IST
INDIA Bloc Begins ‘Save Democracy’ march to ECI over SIR row
INDIA bloc MPs have begun their ‘Save Democracy’ protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters, seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR row.
- 6 Oct 2026 10:47 AM IST
Sanjay Raut questions heavy security ahead of INDIA Bloc march
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned the heavy security deployment ahead of the INDIA bloc MPs’ march from Parliament to the Election Commission, asking why such measures were needed for members of Parliament.
“They have deployed the Border Security Force and brought thousands of CISF personnel from Parliament House to Nirvachan Sadan. I have just learnt that the security outside the houses of all ministers has also been increased. What is the need for this?” Raut said.
He said the MPs would proceed to the Election Commission without weapons and questioned the deployment of a large security force to stop them.
“We will walk and go. We are unarmed,” he said.
Raut also said the Opposition would demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, alleging that the Supreme Court’s observations on changes to Form 6 had raised questions over his statements.
“So, he is a liar. Such a person has no moral right,” Raut said.
- 6 Oct 2026 10:38 AM IST
INDIA Bloc MPs to march to ECI with ‘Save Democracy’ banner
INDIA bloc MPs holding a ‘Save Democracy’ banner are set to begin their protest march to the Election Commission of India from Parliament’s Makar Dwar shortly.
- 6 Oct 2026 10:35 AM IST
BJP’s Sambit Patra targets Congress ahead of INDIA Bloc protest
Ahead of the INDIA bloc MPs’ protest march to the Election Commission, BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra accused the Opposition, particularly the Congress, of trying to create a political climate that would pave the way for Rahul Gandhi to come to power.
Patra alleged that constitutional institutions were being targeted as part of what he called a “sponsored attempt” to bring about a change of government.
He said the effort was not recent and had been underway for years, with the Congress repeatedly trying to project Rahul Gandhi as its leader.
“This began not a few months ago, this has been in motion for years now,” Patra said as quoted by ANI.
He alleged that the Congress and some of its allies were willing to attack democratic institutions and create disorder in the country in their effort to promote Gandhi.
“Ultimately, Congress and some of its allies decided even if they have to attack the India democracy and we have to establish anarchy in India, we will not desist from that,” he said.
