- Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders filed a petition in the Supreme Court on October 12, 2026, seeking the formation of an independent committee to investigate the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the decision-making process of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
- The petition was filed at 4:37 p.m. by advocate Prasanna S. on behalf of the Leader of Opposition.
- Despite Delhi police obstructing protests by closing metro stations and barricading roads, lawyers confirmed that the petition was submitted and Gandhi reached the court gates.
- Since June last year, the Election Commission has been revising voter lists, removing more than 130 million names, which critics argue disproportionately affects minorities.
- Last month, Indian Express reported irregularities in the SIR process, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral roll revisions.
- Opposition leaders, including Gandhi, are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the SIR process is a tactic to entrench the ruling party's power.
- The protests are expected to continue this week, with opposition leaders planning further demonstrations against the Election Commission's actions.
Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders have escalated their protests against the Election Commission of India (ECI) by filing a petition in the Supreme Court demanding an independent inquiry into the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. This petition, filed at 4:37 p.m. on October 12, 2026, seeks to address concerns over the removal of over 130 million names from electoral rolls, disproportionately affecting minority voters.1246
The petitioners, including prominent opposition figures like Mallikarjun Kharge and Akhilesh Yadav, urged the court to review the ECI's decision-making process and called for records related to the SIR. They argue that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has acted to entrench the ruling BJP's power, leading to widespread disenfranchisement.
During a protest march to the Supreme Court, Gandhi accused Kumar of being a “thief” and claimed the Modi government is using the ECI to commit “vote chori” (vote theft). He stated, “We will not spare you,” referring to Kumar, and called for his resignation. The protests have intensified, with thousands of opposition supporters facing police barricades and violence as they demand accountability from the government.
The ECI has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that voters can re-enroll if wrongly deleted. However, opposition leaders maintain that the commission's actions undermine democracy, with Mahua Moitra alleging that 10,000 voters in her constituency were unjustly removed. As protests continue, the opposition is rallying support from various civil society groups, including the youth-led Cockroach movement, which has threatened further demonstrations if their rights to protest are not respected.
“The petition, filed at 4:37 p.m. by advocate Prasanna S., names CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as respondents. Delhi police barricaded roads and closed metro stations, but Gandhi broke through to reach the court gates after protests saw thousands detained over the weekend.”
The Guardian
