Rahul Gandhi Detained During Protest Against Election Commission, Demands CEC’s Resignation

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was detained by police on Wednesday during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, as opposition parties stepped up their campaign against the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.

Gandhi and several opposition lawmakers were stopped while marching towards Jantar Mantar, a designated protest venue in New Delhi. Footage shared by the Congress party showed police placing Gandhi in a vehicle and taking him away. Several other opposition leaders and protesters were also detained.

The opposition is demanding Kumar’s resignation and has accused the Election Commission of manipulating voter registrations to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission and the government have rejected the allegations.

Why Is Rahul Gandhi Protesting?

The protest centres on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, an exercise that began in Bihar and has since been expanded to several states and Union territories.

Opposition parties have called for the process to be stopped and for voters they believe were wrongly removed to be restored. They allege that the revision has disproportionately affected supporters of opposition parties while benefiting the ruling BJP.

The Election Commission has denied any political motive, saying the exercise is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible entries and ensure that eligible citizens remain registered to vote.

Over 130 Million Names Removed

According to figures cited in the dispute, more than 130 million names have been removed from electoral rolls as part of the revision, with millions of voters appealing against the deletions.

Opposition parties and protest groups have continued to challenge the scale and implementation of the exercise, making electoral-roll revision a major political issue.

The latest protest adds to growing tensions between the opposition and the Election Commission, with Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders continuing to demand accountability from the poll body.

The demonstrations also come as the government faces renewed political pressure over the handling of voter registrations and the broader electoral process.