Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with party MPs K C Venugopal, Pawan Khera and others, were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after Opposition MPs staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan while marching towards the Election Commission of India.
The INDIA bloc MPs were protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanding his resignation over what they allege are irregularities in the functioning of the poll body, particularly its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The march began from Parliament and was stopped by police on Parliament Street near Akashvani Bhavan and the NITI Aayog office. After being prevented from proceeding further, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises and staged a sit-in along with other Opposition MPs.
Gandhi had earlier asked authorities to provide an alternative location for the protest if the Opposition was not allowed to sit at the spot.
“If they don't want us to sit here, give us another place in Delhi. We will sit there comfortably and continue our protest,” he said.
The Opposition has alleged that the SIR exercise and other decisions of the Election Commission could affect voters' rights and has accused the poll body of electoral irregularities. The Election Commission has rejected the allegations.
Tuesday's protest comes more than a year after Opposition MPs last marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission over SIR and alleged “vote theft”. On August 11, 2025, INDIA bloc MPs were stopped by police on their way to the ECI office and several leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained.
The 2025 march was held against the SIR exercise in Bihar and alleged irregularities in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
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