Delhi march escalates into a clash with the Election Commission
New Delhi – A rally staged by the INDIA coalition against the Election Commission turned into a high‑stakes confrontation on Tuesday. Lawmakers from the opposition set off from the Parliament complex toward the Commission’s Nirvachan Sadan office, only to be stopped by security personnel near the NITI Aayog campus where sturdy barricades had been installed.
When the path was blocked, a number of MPs dropped to the ground and began a sit‑in. Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition, climbed onto a police barrier and waved the national flag as the protest continued. Senior figures such as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other leaders of the INDIA alliance joined the demonstration. Police later detained Rahul, Priyanka and several additional participants as they attempted to disperse the crowd.
Opposition challenges the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls
The core grievance centres on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties claim procedural lapses and are demanding that the SIR exercise be abandoned. They also seek the reinstatement of names they say were unfairly deleted from the voter lists.
A second flashpoint is the use of Form 6, the document intended for adding fresh entries to the rolls. Critics argue that the Commission’s handling of Form 6 has been opaque and biased, turning the roll‑revision issue into a wider political dispute.
Tightened security across central Delhi
Authorities deployed a heavy security presence along the planned march route. Police erected barricades at key points and prevented demonstrators from advancing toward Nirvachan Sadan. After being halted, the opposition leaders shifted their protest to the vicinity of the Akashvani Bhawan, where they continued to voice their demands.
Political repercussions
The ruling BJP dismissed the allegations, accusing Congress and its allies of trying to undermine democratic institutions through street protests. The episode marks a further escalation in the ongoing tussle over voter‑roll revisions. While the Election Commission stands by its current revision process, opposition parties have vowed to keep pressing for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and for a reversal of the SIR exercise.
