Opposition MPs Demand Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar Amid Protests

In a significant protest, opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, marched towards the Election Commission demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Stopped by police, they staged a sit-in, accusing Kumar of eroding public trust in the electoral process. The protest highlights ongoing concerns regarding alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process and the integrity of the Election Commission. With heavy security in place, the MPs voiced their frustrations over the perceived lack of transparency and accountability within the electoral body. This event underscores the growing tensions in Indian politics as opposition parties rally against what they see as a compromised electoral system.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 6, 2026, 12:09 IST

Protest March by Opposition Leaders

New Delhi: On Tuesday, members of the INDIA alliance, led by Opposition leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a march from the Parliament House towards the Election Commission. However, they were halted by police on Parliament Street, where they initiated a sit-in protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The protest took place in front of the NITI Aayog office, situated between NITI Aayog and Akashvani Bhavan, which leads to the Election Commission headquarters.

After being blocked from advancing, the MPs sat on the road in protest. They displayed cutouts of Kumar dressed in an RSS uniform and chanted slogans such as 'BJP hai CEC hai', 'Vote chor, gaddi chhod', and 'Democracy not for sale'.

In a post on X, Gandhi remarked, 'Gyanesh it’s done bro. Time to resign'.

Among the participants were TMC leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O'Brien, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, and CPI (M) leader John Brittas.

Prior to the march, extensive security measures and barricades were established around Parliament and the Election Commission headquarters.

Security personnel were already present in the area before the MPs began to arrive. The MPs convened at Parliament's Makar Dwar before heading towards Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission's headquarters.

Before the march commenced, opposition MPs criticized the security arrangements and intensified their calls for Kumar's resignation, referencing the Supreme Court's comments regarding changes to Form 6, the official application for voter registration. Congress MP Imran Masood accused Kumar of undermining public confidence in the Election Commission.

'The institution led by Gyanesh Kumar was once trusted and respected nationwide. Questions about its impartiality were unheard of. One individual has shattered that trust,' he stated in a video interview.

'A whole network is collaborating. We will hold Gyanesh Kumar accountable, and the BJP chief ministers will have to respond,' he claimed.

CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar noted that the Supreme Court's remarks on Monday bolstered the opposition's concerns regarding the additional declaration linked to Form 6 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

'On September 26, the Commission issued a press statement claiming that the entire process related to Form 6 had been validated by the Supreme Court. This has proven to be a misleading assertion,' he alleged. He labeled the CEC as a 'Cheating Election Commissioner' and stated that opposition parties have been protesting against these provisions since 2025 and would escalate their efforts.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned the extensive security presence ahead of the march, asserting that the MPs intended to proceed peacefully.

'We are MPs, members of Parliament, and citizens of this country. Why is such a large force necessary to stop us? We will walk peacefully. We are unarmed,' he remarked.

Raut alleged that personnel from the Border Security Force and CISF had been deployed, and security around ministers' residences had been heightened.

He accused Kumar of misleading the public regarding the Supreme Court's stance on Form 6, asserting that the CEC had 'no moral right' to remain in his position.

The Supreme Court stated on Monday that it had not approved any modified version of Form 6 and would review the Election Commission's records to determine if any changes had been made and who authorized them.

These comments were made while addressing a petition challenging Kumar's alleged unilateral decisions.

In its statement on September 26, the Commission claimed that the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court, while forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be utilized outside the SIR period.

This protest occurs amid an opposition campaign addressing alleged irregularities in the SIR process and reports of discord within the three-member Commission. The electoral body has denied claims of division and maintained that decisions regarding SIR were made unanimously.