NEW DELHI – Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained by police on Tuesday as opposition lawmakers marched against the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
Rahul Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, was among several opposition lawmakers taken into custody after police stopped the march near barricades set up along the route from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters. The politicians were later released.
The opposition parties had planned the demonstration to pressure the election body over allegations that changes to voter lists could undermine the fairness of elections.
Several lawmakers sat on the road after security personnel blocked their advance.
The protests, which began last week, have intensified amid opposition demands for Kumar to step down.
The demonstrators carried banners proclaiming “Save Democracy” and raised slogans accusing the election authorities of favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition was protesting to protect democratic institutions, alleging that the Election Commission had become too closely aligned with the government.
The Election Commission has rejected accusations of misconduct, maintaining that the voter-roll revision is intended to improve the accuracy and reliability of electoral records. Kumar has not publicly responded to the allegations.
VIDEO | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi climbs atop the barricades during the INDIA bloc MPs’ march from Parliament to the ECI, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/YkwlFV8WCn
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 6, 2026
Security was tightened across central New Delhi, with police and paramilitary personnel deployed in large numbers around the protest route. Barricades were erected and several roads were closed, while authorities advised commuters to avoid areas affected by the demonstration.
The latest protest represents another challenge to Modi’s government as it enters the middle phase of his third term. Demonstrations involving political parties and youth groups have been taking place almost daily over concerns surrounding voter registration and electoral procedures.
The controversy has also reached India’s Supreme Court. On Monday, the court agreed to hear petitions seeking judicial intervention over allegations concerning the Election Commission’s voter-roll exercise and the conduct of its chief.
During the hearing, the court indicated that it could intervene if decisions by the election authorities were found to be contrary to the law.
Opposition parties have maintained that changes to voter lists could benefit Modi’s BJP, while the ruling party and the Election Commission have dismissed the allegations.
