Indian opposition lawmakers detained in New Delhi during protest against election chief
Police in New Delhi halted a march of more than 200 opposition lawmakers demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the removal of 130 million names from national voter rolls.
Parliament march and detentions
On 6 October 2026, police in New Delhi stopped and briefly detained Indian opposition lawmakers during a march demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Between 237 and 300 members of parliament from the INDIA alliance walked roughly 800 metres from Parliament toward the Election Commission headquarters at Nirvachan Sadan before security forces halted their progress near the NITI Aayog and Akashvani Bhavan buildings. Lawmakers including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Akhilesh Yadav sat on the street in protest, waved national flags, and displayed placards accusing the commission of electoral manipulation. Police placed multiple lawmakers into buses and transported them to local stations before releasing them shortly afterward.
The election commission is a puppet in the hands of the government.
Dispute over voter roll revisions
The march followed a series of demonstrations over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program, which began in Bihar in June 2025 before expanding across most Indian states and union territories. The election body stated that the exercise aims to eliminate duplicate, deceased, and ineligible entries from electoral registers. More than 130 million names, representing roughly 13% of India's electorate, have been removed from draft voter rolls nationwide, with commission figures indicating roll contractions of up to 30% in certain regions. Opposition parties state that the documentation requirements disproportionately exclude eligible voters to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
- Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls begins in Bihar
- Cockroach Janta Party protests result in the resignation of the education minister
- Youth demonstrations take place in Mumbai and New Delhi demanding the CEC resignation
- Opposition lawmakers march to the Election Commission and face brief police detention
- Planned follow-up demonstration scheduled at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi
Internal dissent and political reactions
Scrutiny of the commission intensified following an Indian Express report stating that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi submitted at least 14 formal objections over a 10-month span regarding decisions issued in the agency's name without their prior knowledge. These internal objections involved voter database access, electoral data security, and additions and deletions tied to the roll revision program. Ruling party officials rejected allegations of misconduct and criticized the demonstration as an effort to cause disruption.
After failing multiple times, Congress leaders have decided to establish anarchy in the country and attack institutions.
Legal scrutiny and future demonstrations
The dispute has also entered the judicial sphere, where the Supreme Court of India is examining alterations made to voter registration Form 6. The court noted that it has not endorsed any altered version of the registration form and issued notices for further inquiry. Opposition leaders scheduled a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu to present their objections regarding the voter lists. Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party youth group, which held protests in Mumbai and Delhi on 2 October, announced a follow-up demonstration scheduled for 10 October at Jantar Mantar if Kumar remains in office.
