Full Breakdown
Rahul Gandhi’s Protest Against the Election Commission Escalates in Delhi
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Detentions and FIRs During SIR Protests
On October 6, 2026, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi led a march from Parliament toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters. Police blocked the route, prompting an eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan. The next day, October 7, 2026, Gandhi and several opposition lawmakers attempted to reach Jantar Mantar. Police stopped the buses, forced the leaders onto the road and detained them, later filing FIRs against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for alleged assault on police personnel and obstruction of government work. Gandhi said he had 45 FIRs and aimed for 100.
Background & Context: Special Intensive Revision and Shifting Alliances
The protests centre on the EC’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has removed more than 130 million names. The opposition claims the revisions disproportionately delete voters likely to support the BJP, while the EC says the process targets duplicate and ineligible entries.
In Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cited a report that the TV Kalki Kumari (TVK) government won 84 of 135 constituencies where over 20,000 voters were deleted and all 10 constituencies where deletions exceeded 80,000.
Data & Statistics
- 969 million people were eligible to vote in the 2024 national election.
- 130 million+ names have been removed in the SIR exercise.
- As of October 7, 2026, 45 FIRs have been lodged against Rahul Gandhi; he has declared a target of 100.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Election Commission said it learned of the march from Delhi police at 4 p.m. and could not accept a request to meet a group of 240 MPs at the Parliament House Annex under ECI protocol.
- DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan defended the agitation, stating, “It is the right of citizens to fight against the government’s wrongdoings.”
- Police sources described the detentions as a response to “assault on police personnel.”
Criticism & Opposition
- BJP national president Nitin Nabin accused Gandhi of an “anarchist mindset” and urged him to resign, arguing the EC’s actions are legitimate.
On-the-Ground Reports
Witnesses said opposition MPs boarded three buses outside Janpath, were stopped near the Ashoka Road roundabout, and were forced onto the road where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lay on the pavement clutching a copy of the Constitution. Police then bundled the leaders into buses and took them to Barakhamba Road police station. Video showed Gandhi attempting to jump out of a police vehicle before being restrained.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact number of FIRs: some cite 45 FIRs with a target of 100, while others mention “45 FIRs” without specifying the target. No official count from Delhi Police is available, leaving the total number of charges unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We will go to the designated protest site, sit there, and tell the country that, for us, Gyanesh Kumar is not the legitimate commissioner,” — Rahul Gandhi
- “We are not going to stop protesting till Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” — Rahul Gandhi
- “It is the right of citizens to fight against the government’s wrongdoings.” — TKS Elangovan
- “I can only say that they are of ‘arajaktawadi’ (anarchist) mindset and trying to spread poison in society,” — Nitin Nabin
- “Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign,” — Rahul Gandhi
These statements capture the core positions of the opposition, the DMK, and the BJP.