CEC row LIVE: Rahul, Priyanka, other MPs released; Cong calls ‘Black Day’ protest tomorrow
Gandhi siblings booked for entering Akashvani Bhawan on Tuesday, forcefully carried off by police and detained along with other MPs; CJP announces Oct 10 protest
There was utter mayhem in central Delhi on Wednesday (October 7) as INDIA bloc leaders were blocked by the Delhi Police as they made their way to Jantar Mantar to stage a sit-in protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Opposition leaders alleged they were brutally roughed up by the police while being detained.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who lay down on the road after being blocked from proceeding to the protest venue, was lifted off the carriageway and taken to Chhatrasal Stadium along with other leaders. TMC MP Mahua Moitra showed off a cut on her palm that she said happened during the police crackdown.
Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi was detained at the Barakhamba Road Police Station, outside which Congress leaders such as Kerala CM VD Satheesan, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, and TMC MP Derek O'Brien camped for more than an hour. The Gandhi siblings and other MPs were released from detention after 8 pm.
Earlier in the day, the Opposition bloc MPs attended a lunch meeting hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Speaking to reporters after the lunch meeting, Rahul Gandhi said Opposition MPs on Tuesday wanted to meet the three Election Commissioners but they refused. Hence, they took the protest path and would do the same at Jantar Mantar, the designated protest site.
In the morning, the Congress slammed the BJP government for having an FIR registered against Rahul, Priyanka, and other MPs for their unauthorised entry into Akashvani Bhawan during Tuesday’s protest. Rahul, however, said: “45 FIRs have been registered against me; I want 100 FIRs to be registered against me. Every FIR is like a medal for me.”
As the protests against the CEC gather steam, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a youth protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10 calling for CEC Kumar’s resignation. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said young people would gather at Jantar Mantar over electoral rolls and voting rights.
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Live Updates
- 7 Oct 2026 8:54 AM IST
Kejriwal backs demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday backed the demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, alleging that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls was being used to remove genuine voters and add fake names.
Speaking in Goa, Kejriwal said the demand for Kumar’s resignation was gaining support across the country.
“I am in Goa for the next 3 days and have several meetings lined up with different people and party workers. But I want to say that there is a demand at the national level for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation; the entire country is now coming together for it,” he said as quoted by ANI.
Kejriwal alleged that elections were being won by deleting genuine voters and adding fake voters through SIR.
“Over the past few years, it is now coming to light that whatever elections PM Modi has won were won only and only by getting genuine voters’ names deleted from the electoral rolls and adding fake voters through SIR,” he said.
The Election Commission said no political party had sought an appointment until 4 pm and later said around 240 MPs led by Rahul Gandhi wanted to submit a memorandum.
- 7 Oct 2026 8:47 AM IST
Goa Congress protests Rahul, Priyanka's detention, burns CEC effigy
Goa Congress leaders staged a protest in Panaji on Tuesday against the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the INDIA bloc’s protest against the Election Commission in New Delhi.
Congress workers gathered around 11.30 pm and burnt an effigy of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest followed the detention of Rahul and Priyanka after an over-eight-hour sit-in inside Akashvani Bhawan.
Goa Congress spokesperson Amit Palekar called the protest a symbolic response to the action against the two leaders and alleged that the country was facing an undeclared “Emergency”.
Congress leader Amarnath Panjikar said his party was working to “save democracy”, while accusing the BJP government of detaining Congress leaders.
Goa Pradesh Youth Congress president Archit Naik accused Kumar of acting at the instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“The ECI has completely failed under the leadership of Gyanesh Kumar. He should be sacked immediately,” Naik said.
- 7 Oct 2026 8:45 AM IST
Tharoor calls Rahul’s detention ‘disgraceful’
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said he was “horrified” by images of Rahul Gandhi being manhandled and taken into detention during the INDIA bloc’s protest against the Election Commission.
Tharoor, who was in Berlin and could not join the Opposition MPs’ march, criticised the government’s response to the protest.
“Horrified to see the images from New Delhi of the LoP, @rahulgandhi, being manhandled and dragged off to detention,” Tharoor said in a post on X.
He said the protest was against the disenfranchisement of 130 million voters and accused the government of violating constitutional rights.
“The government's reaction is ‘disgraceful’,” Tharoor said.
“Because of a commitment made to a conference in Berlin four months ago, I can only express my solidarity from afar. But this is where my heart is. Justice will prevail!!” he added.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained after an over-eight-hour sit-in inside Akashvani Bhawan. Other Congress leaders were also detained as police cleared the premises. The Congress said they were released around 10 pm and taken to the New Police Lines at Kingsway Camp.
- 7 Oct 2026 8:40 AM IST
Watch | SC’s SIR scrutiny: 'Strong court can make big difference'
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Election Commission (EC) following investigative media reports on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and internal procedural friction within the poll body.
Read the full story here: Watch | SC’s SIR scrutiny: 'Strong court can make big difference'
- 7 Oct 2026 8:38 AM IST
Six things to watch as SC examines EC’s decisions
The Supreme Court’s refusal on October 5 to suspend Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was only the first step in the case. A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana issued notice on two writ petitions. A notice calls upon the parties named in a petition to file their replies. Both petitions rely on objections recorded on file by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
Read the full story here: Six things to watch as SC examines EC’s decisions
- 7 Oct 2026 8:36 AM IST
EC dissent row: How RTI can unlock minutes, orders on SIR decisions
The recent Indian Express investigation into differences within the Election Commission has generated intense political debate. It is reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months concerning Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, voter registration, deletions, Form 6, electoral appeals, and the centralisation of electoral databases.
Read the full story here: EC dissent row: How RTI can unlock minutes, orders on SIR decisions
