Rahul Gandhi detained during nine-hour protest over India election chief

Delhi police briefly detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday evening as they broke up a prolonged protest seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The detention ended an almost nine-hour standoff that began when Gandhi and other opposition lawmakers were stopped by heavy police deployments while marching from parliament toward the Election Commission of India headquarters.

The protest centered on allegations that the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls—which began in Bihar in June 2025 and expanded nationwide—has disproportionately removed eligible voters while benefiting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. More than 130 million names have been removed from draft voter lists. Opposition parties, including the Congress Party, accused the commission of acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the Election Commission stated the revision aimed to ensure electoral roll accuracy and integrity. Videos circulated on social media showing police forcing Gandhi onto a bus and preventing him from climbing out the window.

Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other lawmakers, sat in protest at Akashvani Bhavan (Broadcasting House) near the Election Commission after being blocked from their intended destination. According to police, 237 opposition MPs from several parties participated in the march. The police registered a complaint against the Gandhis for entering the broadcasting house without permission. Police officials stated that detainees were removed "to maintain law and order and prevent the situation from escalating."

The Election Commission offered to meet with opposition representatives at its own office and through formal appointment requests, but objected to their proposed 240-member delegation meeting at parliament. The commission said it was willing to engage but on its own terms.

Tuesday's protest follows earlier demonstrations, including actions by the Cockroach Janta Party, a Gen Z-backed satirical online movement that organized protests in Mumbai and Delhi demanding Kumar's resignation and called for additional protests on 10 October. An Indian Express newspaper investigation reported that two of the three election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, had formally objected at least 14 times over a 10-month period to decisions and orders issued by their colleague. India's Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear legal arguments about the accusations against the poll body.