The Supreme Court sought responses from election authorities on Opposition petitions alleging voter deletions. The proceedings also widened scrutiny of protest restrictions, political conduct and journalists' safety.
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Newdelhi,Oct 15, 2026 15:24 IST
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Election Commission, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and two election commissioners on a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and 12 other Opposition leaders over alleged large-scale deletion of voters and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, the Press Trust of India reported.
The court was hearing several petitions concerning the revision exercise, protests in Delhi, a march to the Supreme Court and alleged assaults on journalists and lawyers. It said every party would be heard.
When some lawyers referred to Monday's march to the court by Opposition leaders, including Gandhi, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, “Nobody can browbeat us.” The lawyers submitted that the march was an attempt to browbeat the Supreme Court.
While issuing notice on the petition filed by Gandhi and the other leaders, the Bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said it had taken note of the conduct of one of the petitioners. It did not name the petitioner.
“We are not sitting in ivory towers. We know what statements they are making outside and what they are saying in court. We know everything,” the Chief Justice said after senior lawyer and BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia referred to the conduct and statements of some leaders, including Gandhi, according to PTI.
Opposition leaders, activists and civil society members had taken part in a “March for Democracy” on Monday and filed a joint petition against the revision exercise and alleged electoral irregularities. The protest centred on allegations of “vote theft”.
The court also issued notices to Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and the Congress on a petition challenging the October 12 march to the Supreme Court.
In a separate matter, the Bench issued notices to the Election Commission and others on a petition filed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. He sought the cancellation of the revision exercise, citing a report in The Indian Express that election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi differed while taking crucial decisions.
The court also sought responses from the Centre and the Delhi Police on a petition challenging the removal of Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites in the national capital.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar had on October 11 designated Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as venues for protests and demonstrations. Jantar Mantar was subsequently removed as a designated protest site.
The Bench also considered the case of a woman journalist whose complaint alleging molestation by a senior police officer is pending. It directed the police not to take any coercive action against her.
During the hearing, Bhatia urged the court to consider the case of a pregnant woman journalist who, he said, was allegedly pushed by Gandhi on the Supreme Court premises during the October 12 march. The Bench asked him to file a petition and said it would consider the matter.
“Before this court, every voice is valuable and everyone will be heard irrespective of numbers,” the Bench said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also referred to the unconditional apology submitted by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan in a contempt case. He said an unconditional apology did not mean that the authorities could not defend their actions and that such an apology was part of the procedure.
The Bench told Mehta that it was not taking cognisance of media reports that the authorities had submitted unconditional apologies before the court.
The contempt case concerned the alleged violation of a Supreme Court direction to ensure that Metro and train services in Delhi were not completely stopped after an October 10 protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party.
Delhi has witnessed several protests demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision. The Supreme Court has now sought responses in the related petitions and reiterated that all sides will be heard.
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