Congress Supreme Court March, Barakhamba Road Jam, CEC Resignation Demand
Congress and INDIA bloc workers gathered in large numbers at Delhi's Barakhamba Road near Connaught Place for a protest march towards the Supreme Court. Cadres arriving from Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and other states waved Congress, NSUI, and NYMC flags while holding placards. Their central demands include the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision exercise. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is slated to arrive at the site to lead the demonstration. In response, authorities enforced heavy deployment of paramilitary personnel and Delhi Police along the stretch, shutting down entry and exit at central Delhi metro stations around Connaught Place.
INDIA Bloc Marches To Supreme Court; CJI Declines Meet; CEC Dismissal Sought
Opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc took out a protest march towards the Supreme Court in Delhi to submit a plea questioning the functioning and transparency of the Election Commission of India. Prior to the march, the Chief Justice of India, Suryakant, declined to meet the opposition delegation, stating that the matters raised were sub judice and that discussing pending cases outside the judicial process would infringe upon judicial propriety and the separation of powers. The leaders continued their demonstration, demanding the dismissal or resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the halting of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, and repolls in disputed states. Senior leaders including D.K. Shivakumar and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi highlighted allegations of voter deletions and irregularities while defending their judicial petition. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party questioned the opposition's stance, arguing that allegations of electoral manipulation are raised selectively only when opposition parties face defeat.
Delhi Protest Crackdown: 'Felt Like A Police State', Says Shadan Farasat
A debate led by anchor Rajdeep Sardesai examines whether the right to peaceful protest and dissent is being suppressed in Delhi following police action against protesters, lawyers, and journalists. Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat describes his detention near Safdarjung flyover, recounting how police bodily lifted him, tore his shirt, and shoved him into a moving van while he attempted to intervene as Yogendra Yadav was being grabbed. Farasat remarks, 'It felt like you were in a police state,' arguing that dissent is being criminalised under political direction. Former Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee criticises the heavy-handed security mobilisation, affirming that the fundamental right to assemble peaceably was prima facie violated. Meanwhile, former police chief Prakash Singh defends law enforcement personnel, contending that prohibitory orders were breached, crowds behaved disruptively, and officers were tasked with managing unruly assemblies under challenging circumstances.
'The Right To Protest Is Not An Absolute Right': BJP's Nalin Kohli
In an interview with Rajdeep Sardesai, BJP leader and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court Nalin Kohli responded to the Congress and INDIA bloc moving the Supreme Court against the Election Commission. Addressing the opposition's ongoing demonstrations, Kohli stated, "The right to protest is not an absolute right," highlighting reasonable restrictions under Article 19 of the Constitution to protect public order, schools, and hospitals. He argued that the opposition's courtroom battles reflect an attempt to win without voter backing, questioning why they do not raise concerns over EVMs or institutions when they secure electoral victories in states like Himachal Pradesh and Telangana. Kohli also dismissed demands for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner and rejected claims that the government must halt functioning amid manufactured controversies, stressing that dialogue requires reasonable arguments rather than arbitrary demands.