Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi Reach Akashvani Bhawan Amid INDIA Bloc March To EC

The protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar entered their fifth day on Tuesday, with the Opposition INDIA bloc marching towards Nirvachan Sadan, the headquarters of the Election Commission of India (ECI), over alleged irregularities in the poll panel’s decisions, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The latest protest comes amid growing opposition to the SIR exercise, which has been described by protesters as a “clean-up drive” of electoral rolls. The previous march from Parliament to the ECI headquarters was held on August 11, 2025, also in opposition to the SIR exercise.

The current round of protests began on October 2, when Opposition parties and civil society groups called for demonstrations over the electoral roll revision exercise.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar Row | Key Points

• Protests Enter Fifth Day: Since October 2, protesters have faced heavy security deployment, multiple layers of barricades, restrictions and detentions during attempts to march towards the ECI headquarters.
• Civil Society Groups Join Protest: The protesters include a joint delegation of activists and civil society members, including All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Nikhil De and Nandita Narain. The group had approached the Parliament Street police station over a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar last Monday but was denied permission.
• CJP Launches Parallel Protest: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which held a protest at Jantar Mantar in July over alleged irregularities in examinations that was followed by the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, launched a parallel protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on October 2.
• CJP Announces October 10 Mobilisation: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced a “mobilisation” at Jantar Mantar on October 10. On Monday, the organisation sought to play down its recent differences with sections of the Congress and welcomed the INDIA bloc’s planned protest, saying its October 10 event should be viewed as a broader youth mobilisation rather than an initiative of a single organisation.
• Supreme Court Declines Interim Relief: Amid the protests and calls for the CEC’s suspension, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to pass an interim order restraining Gyanesh Kumar from functioning. The plea alleged that the CEC took several decisions unilaterally despite objections from the other two Election Commissioners. The court said it could not proceed on “assumptions” without first verifying the facts.
• Delhi Police Officer’s Promotion Put On Hold: Assistant Commissioner of Police (Connaught Place) Vivek Bhagat was promoted to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police in a routine order issued by the Delhi Home Department on Monday. The order was later put on hold at the officer’s request.
• Sexual Harassment Complaint: The development came two days after Bhagat was named in a police complaint filed by a female journalist, who alleged that he sexually harassed her while she was reporting on a protest near Jantar Mantar. The allegation subsequently triggered a demonstration outside the Parliament Street Police Station, where protesters sought an update on the complaint.