Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Lead Protest March Against Election Commissioner

Protest March to Election Commission Headquarters

New Delhi, Oct 6: A dramatic scene unfolded during the INDIA bloc's march from Parliament Street to the Election Commission's office on Tuesday, as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other supporters, attempted to access the Akashvani Bhawan premises.

Despite police intervention, the Congress leaders managed to enter the premises through the reception area and were later seen sitting under a tree.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma arrived with a significant police presence to disperse the protesting opposition members.

During the demonstration, opposition MPs carried 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".

Initially, security personnel halted the Congress leaders on Parliament Street near the Niti Aayog office while they were marching to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

After being blocked, they staged a sit-in protest on the road.

Rahul Gandhi and TMC's Abhisekh Banerjee climbed onto a police barricade, while Priyanka Gandhi was escorted to a waiting bus for detention.

However, she soon exited the bus and rejoined her brother at the Akashvani gate.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had posted on social media, "Gyanesh it's done bro. Time to resign".

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

Security personnel were present in the area well before the MPs arrived.

The MPs convened at Parliament's Makar Dwar before heading towards Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission headquarters.

Before the march commenced, opposition MPs raised concerns about security arrangements and intensified their calls for Kumar's resignation, referencing the Supreme Court's remarks regarding modifications to Form 6, the official application for voter registration.

On Monday, the Supreme Court stated it had not sanctioned any revised version of Form 6 and would review the Election Commission's records to determine if any changes were made and who authorized them.

This statement was made during a hearing of a petition challenging alleged unilateral actions by Kumar.

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

The protest arises amid an opposition campaign alleging irregularities in the SIR process and reports of discord within the three-member Commission. The poll body has denied claims of division and asserted that decisions regarding SIR were made unanimously.