Rahul Gandhi Detained as Police Break Up Opposition Protest in Delhi



NEW DELHI, October 7, 2026 — India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was detained by Delhi Police after an hours-long opposition protest near the Election Commission of India headquarters in New Delhi ended with police moving protesters away from the site.

The protest, led by the INDIA bloc, was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner **Gyanesh Kumar** and raise opposition concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Election Commission and the ruling BJP have rejected the opposition's allegations regarding the voter-list process.



Opposition March Stopped by Police

Opposition lawmakers marched from Parliament toward the Election Commission headquarters on Tuesday. Police erected barricades near the commission's office and stopped the march from proceeding further.

Several opposition leaders, including Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, were among those involved in the demonstration. More than 200 opposition leaders were detained during different stages of the protest, according to reports.

The protesters were seeking a meeting with election officials to present their concerns over the electoral-roll revision.



Rahul Gandhi Taken Onto Police Bus

The confrontation continued for several hours after the initial march was stopped.

Gandhi and other opposition leaders staged a sit-in at the nearby **Akashvani Bhavan** premises after getting past the initial police cordon. Police later moved in to detain the remaining protesters.

Visuals showed Gandhi being escorted and physically moved toward a police bus. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also detained and taken away by police. The two were subsequently taken to Kingsway Camp in north Delhi and were released later that evening.



Protest Continued for Nearly Nine Hours

The demonstration lasted for roughly nine hours, turning into a prolonged standoff between opposition leaders and police.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi had climbed onto a police barricade and waved the national flag as protesters attempted to move closer to the Election Commission. After the initial detentions, he and Priyanka Gandhi entered the Akashvani Bhavan compound and continued the sit-in with other opposition leaders.The protest eventually ended when police detained the remaining leaders.



Opposition Raises Electoral Concerns

The INDIA bloc has accused the Election Commission of irregularities related to the revision of voter lists and has demanded action from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Opposition parties have argued that changes connected to the SIR process could affect voters' ability to participate in elections. These claims have been rejected by the Election Commission and the BJP, which have described the opposition's allegations as unfounded. Reuters noted that it could not independently verify the opposition's claims.

The Election Commission also said that the opposition's request for a meeting was not presented through the procedure it expected and that an alternative arrangement had been offered.







Police Cite Public Safety

Delhi Police said the detentions were carried out under applicable law and in the interest of maintaining public order and safety.

The opposition, meanwhile, criticised the police action and argued that elected representatives should have been allowed to approach the Election Commission to present their concerns.

The contrasting accounts have added to an increasingly heated political dispute over electoral administration and voter-list revisions.



Political Tensions Continue

The Delhi protest is part of a wider series of demonstrations by opposition parties and other groups over the electoral-roll revision issue.

The confrontation also highlights the growing political tension between the opposition and the central government over the functioning of India's electoral institutions. While the opposition has continued to demand accountability from the Election Commission, the government and BJP have rejected the allegations against the poll body.

With the dispute continuing, further political demonstrations and exchanges between the opposition and election authorities are expected in the coming days.



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