Opposition leaders marched towards the Supreme Court to submit a petition over alleged vote chori. The police blockade sharpened their challenge to protest curbs and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Newdelhi,Oct 12, 2026 16:48 IST
Opposition MPs and leaders, along with hundreds of supporters and activists, on Monday began a "March for Democracy" towards the Supreme Court to submit a petition over their "vote chori" charge and against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The march came after Chief Justice of India declined a request from the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for a meeting.
Leaders from several INDIA bloc parties joined the march, while the opposition also protested against the government’s prohibitory measures, which they said were aimed at stopping demonstrations. The march was, however, stopped by police at the barricaded Bhagwan Dass Road.
Those leading the march included Leaders of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI’s D Raja, CPI(M) leader M A Baby, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut, CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya and IUML leader E T Mohammed Basheer.
Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Shashi Tharoor, Sachin Pilot and Mukul Wasnik were also present, along with TMC leader Sagarika Ghosh, activists Yogendra Yadav and Nandita Narayan, and AISA chief Neha Bora.
The leaders and supporters had earlier gathered at the Constitution Club and then moved towards Barakhamba Road junction in four air-conditioned buses. From there, they started the march to the Supreme Court to highlight the issue of "vote chori" and to protest against the restrictions imposed on demonstrations.
Police soon stopped the march at Bhagwan Dass Road after putting up barricades. Some leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, climbed atop a vehicle.
Earlier, at a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Indira Bhawan, Rahul Gandhi announced the decision to march to the Supreme Court with other INDIA bloc leaders and file a petition against the poll panel chief and over "vote chori". He also asked the CEC to "turn approver" and resign, saying the opposition’s fight was against bigger powers behind him.
"Resign, turn approver; you (Kumar) have made a mistake but you are not the mind behind the mistake," Gandhi said. "We know Gyanesh Kumar is unable to sleep at night; I am telling him directly 'you will not survive as CEC'," he said.
Gandhi said there had been resistance earlier too, but it had not come onto the streets in the form of protests. He said the fight would continue even if it took days or years, and asked people to carry on with the protests, saying the country could not be saved in a day or two. Describing the current protests as "tandav", he said, "This is like Shiva's dance and anyone can join Shiva's 'baraat' (wedding procession)." He also claimed that 200 government officers were in "touch with them" and were providing information.
The march began after Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and named three new places for demonstrations. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on X, "The poisonous pair is embattled, and we have seen in the past few days how brutally they have dealt with peaceful public protests." He added, "Democracy no longer matters for them. It is all a matter of Demokursi."
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued a standing order on October 11 naming Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi as the new designated sites for protests and demonstrations. The decision came amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital following calls to gather for protests at Jantar Mantar. Overall, the opposition’s march brought together several leaders and supporters around their charges of "vote chori" and their protest against restrictions on demonstrations, before it was stopped by police on the way to the Supreme Court.
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