Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several lawmakers were detained by police in New Delhi on October 7 during ongoing protests against the revision of voter rolls, marking the third time they have been held in as many days. The demonstrations are focused on demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who has been at the center of controversy following a voter list revision that removed more than 130 million names nationwide.
The protests, led by Gandhi and members of the Indian National Congress, intensified after reports emerged of internal disagreements within the election commission regarding the voter list update. Two commissioners reportedly lodged objections to Kumar’s handling of the process, raising questions about the commission’s neutrality. The revision, known as the Special Intensive Revision, was intended by authorities to clean up electoral rolls, but critics argue that it has disenfranchised legitimate voters and imposed onerous documentation requirements, which they claim benefits Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On October 6, Gandhi and fellow opposition lawmakers attempted to meet with Kumar and his deputies at the election commission but were blocked by police and briefly detained. The following day, after holding a lunch meeting in central Delhi near the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar, Gandhi led a march toward the area. Authorities declared the demonstrations illegal and used a heavy presence of police and paramilitary personnel equipped with riot gear to prevent access. Roads leading to Jantar Mantar were blocked or closed, forcing protesters to take detours.
During the October 7 protest, lawmakers displayed placards reading “no vote theft, no democracy theft” and “election commission, not BJP commission,” highlighting their accusations of electoral manipulation benefiting the ruling BJP. Gandhi told reporters that the group intended to sit at the designated site and reject Kumar’s legitimacy as commissioner, calling those involved in the voter list revision “traitors.” Videos broadcast live by the Congress party showed Gandhi being physically removed by security forces from the crowd, alongside his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other lawmakers who had positioned themselves on the ground and were subsequently taken into custody.
The police have not released official statements regarding the arrests or the legality of the demonstrations. Meanwhile, the BJP has denied any attempts to influence the voter revision process, dismissing the protests as reactions from parties unwilling to accept electoral defeats.
These developments come amid wider national tensions concerning electoral integrity and voter rights, with student groups and youth movements, including the Cockroach Janta Party, joining the protests. These groups have called for further demonstrations in New Delhi over the weekend, demanding Kumar’s resignation and alleging broader attempts to undermine democratic processes.
The protests represent a significant political challenge to Modi’s government midway through his third term, following similar protests earlier this year that led to the resignation of the education minister over an exam paper leak scandal. The election commission and Kumar have yet to publicly respond to the allegations surrounding the voter list updates.