AAP, Congress, Left unite to protest Delhi CEO office over CEC Gyanesh Kumar row
Synopsis
Opposition unity against the Chief Election Commissioner is hardening into a street movement. AAP — which skipped the INDIA bloc's march on Tuesday — joined Congress and Left parties at Delhi's CEO office on Wednesday, and a nationwide Jantar Mantar protest is now set for 10 October. The pivot matters: it signals broader convergence on a demand that could pressure the Election Commission at a politically sensitive moment.
Key Takeaways
AAP , Congress , and Left parties jointly protested outside Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer's office at Kashmere Gate on 7 October 2026 .
The parties are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A nationwide protest has been called for 10 October , centred at Jantar Mantar , New Delhi.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were briefly detained by police on Tuesday after INDIA bloc MPs were stopped from reaching the ECI headquarters .
AAP and DMK had stayed away from Tuesday's INDIA bloc march but AAP joined the Wednesday protest.
Left-wing student groups SFI and AISA were among those detained at a previous Jantar Mantar protest last week.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and Left parties jointly demonstrated outside the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer's office at Kashmere Gate on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The multi-party demonstration marks an escalation of street-level opposition pressure on the poll body.
Nationwide Protest Called for October 10
AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj, speaking to reporters at the site, announced that a nationwide protest would be convened on 10 October, with Jantar Mantar in New Delhi serving as its focal point. He noted that the call had been given by what he referred to as the 'Cockroach Janata Party' — a reference critics of the ruling dispensation have adopted — and confirmed that AAP was lending its support alongside Left parties, student wings, and various civic organisations.
'On the 10th, there will be a nationwide protest, with Jantar Mantar as its epicentre. The call has been given by the Cockroach Janata Party. We are supporting that call. The Left parties, student wings, and various small and large organisations are supporting it, and we are also supporting it,' Bharadwaj said.
AAP MLA's Sharp Allegations Against CEC and BJP
AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar levelled pointed allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of shielding the CEC and demanding his immediate resignation. 'The BJP government is resorting to hooliganism. It is protecting Gyanesh Kumar. Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign. Gyanesh Kumar is a traitor to the country,' Kumar said, according to reports. The BJP has not publicly responded to these specific charges.
Background: INDIA Bloc Protests and Rahul Gandhi's Detention
Wednesday's demonstration followed a dramatic sequence of events on Tuesday, when INDIA bloc MPs staged a protest march towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in New Delhi. Security personnel stopped the opposition leaders midway. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi climbed police barricades and waved the tricolour as security personnel prevented the bloc's MPs from advancing.
According to television reports, Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were briefly detained by police. Gandhi told reporters that around 300 MPs from both Houses of Parliament had been prevented from meeting the Election Commission. The INDIA bloc leaders subsequently staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan, from where they were removed and detained by police on Tuesday night.
AAP and DMK's Shifting Position
Notably, both the AAP and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had stayed away from the INDIA bloc's protest on Tuesday, making Wednesday's joint march with Congress and the Left a significant — if partial — course correction. The previous week, AAP and several Left-wing student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Association (AISA), had already protested against the CEC at Jantar Mantar, where several demonstrators were detained by police. This is at least the third consecutive week of opposition street action over the electoral rolls controversy.
What's at Stake
The opposition's core allegation centres on the SIR process, which critics argue could disenfranchise voters through opaque or arbitrary revisions to electoral rolls. The Election Commission has not yet issued a detailed public response to the specific allegations. With a nationwide protest scheduled for 10 October and the opposition's INDIA bloc now showing — despite earlier divergences — a degree of coordinated pressure, the controversy over CEC Gyanesh Kumar's tenure is set to intensify in the coming days.
Point of View
Protests against the ECI have generated headlines without triggering institutional reform; the SIR controversy will need to land in a court or a parliamentary committee to produce durable change. The detention of sitting MPs and a Leader of the Opposition climbing barricades is a level of confrontation that signals this is no longer a routine opposition grievance.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are opposition parties protesting against CEC Gyanesh Kumar?
The AAP, Congress, and Left parties allege that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar oversaw irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which they claim could disenfranchise voters. They are demanding his resignation pending a full investigation into the process.
What happened during the INDIA bloc protest on Tuesday?
INDIA bloc MPs marched towards the Election Commission of India headquarters on Tuesday but were stopped by security personnel. Rahul Gandhi climbed police barricades waving the tricolour; he and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were briefly detained. The bloc later staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan before being removed and detained by police.
When and where is the nationwide protest planned?
A nationwide protest has been called for 10 October 2026, with Jantar Mantar in New Delhi as its main venue. AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj confirmed AAP's support for the call, alongside Left parties, student wings, and civic organisations.
Did AAP participate in Tuesday's INDIA bloc protest?
No. Both AAP and the DMK stayed away from the INDIA bloc's protest march on Tuesday. AAP did, however, join Congress and Left parties for the separate demonstration outside the Delhi CEO's office on Wednesday.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision is a periodic process conducted by the Election Commission to update and verify voter rolls, adding eligible new voters and removing ineligible entries. Opposition parties allege that irregularities in the current SIR round could lead to arbitrary deletions and voter disenfranchisement, though the ECI has not issued a detailed public rebuttal to these specific claims.
