Rahul Gandhi Says Protests Will Continue Until CEC Gyanesh Kumar Resigns
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has said the INDIA bloc will continue its protests until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns, escalating the opposition’s confrontation with the Election Commission.
Gandhi made the declaration on October 7 after he and several other opposition MPs were detained by Delhi Police while attempting to reach Jantar Mantar for a demonstration against the Election Commission.
“We are not going to stop protesting till Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” Gandhi said, describing the campaign as a fight to protect what he called the country’s most important democratic institution.
The protest is centred on allegations of irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR. Opposition parties have repeatedly accused the Election Commission of removing eligible voters from electoral lists and have demanded greater transparency over the process.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and has defended the electoral-roll revision as a legitimate exercise intended to identify and remove ineligible or duplicate entries.
The latest confrontation began after INDIA bloc leaders gathered in central Delhi and travelled towards Jantar Mantar. Police stopped their vehicles before they could reach the designated protest area.
Rather than disperse, Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition leaders staged an impromptu sit-in on the road. Priyanka Gandhi was seen holding a copy of the Constitution as security personnel moved to clear the protesters.
Police eventually detained Gandhi and several other opposition MPs. They were later released.
The action followed another major confrontation the previous day, when opposition leaders had staged a prolonged protest near Akashvani Bhawan after being prevented from reaching the Election Commission’s office. Several leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, were detained after the sit-in.
Gandhi has portrayed the protests as a broader struggle over the integrity of India’s electoral system. He has accused the government and election authorities of undermining democratic institutions, allegations that the BJP and Election Commission have rejected.
The Congress has also announced further demonstrations, seeking to take the campaign beyond Delhi. Party leaders have called for protests at state, district and block levels, increasing pressure on the Election Commission.
The opposition’s campaign has received support from several INDIA bloc parties, although participation has not been uniform. The Samajwadi Party, for example, was absent from the latest Delhi mobilisation, highlighting differences within the broader opposition alliance.
The protests have also generated a sharp political response from the BJP, which has accused the opposition of attempting to create disorder and undermine constitutional institutions through street demonstrations.
For Rahul Gandhi, however, the campaign is now explicitly tied to Kumar’s resignation. He has said that neither police action nor pressure from the government will persuade the opposition to abandon its demand.
The confrontation puts the Election Commission at the centre of an increasingly intense political dispute over electoral-roll revisions, institutional independence and voter rights.
With Congress and other opposition groups promising further demonstrations, the standoff is likely to continue unless the political parties and the Election Commission find a way to address the allegations surrounding the voter-list revision process.
For now, Gandhi’s position is unequivocal: the protests will continue until Gyanesh Kumar leaves the post of Chief Election Commissioner.
