INDIA bloc protests against CEC enter Day 3; Congress leader Udit Raj invokes democracy
Synopsis
Three days in, the INDIA bloc's protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has crossed a flashpoint — Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained and released by Delhi Police, Congress leader Udit Raj is warning that 'democracy is being murdered', and the Delhi government's decision to shut liquor shops for two days has added a new political subplot to an already charged confrontation.
Key Takeaways
The INDIA bloc held its third consecutive day of protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar on 9 October 2026 .
Congress leader Udit Raj warned that 'democracy is being murdered' and called saving it a constitutional obligation for every citizen.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday near Akashvani Bhawan and released hours later.
The opposition's core demand is action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged deletion of crores of votes and changes to electoral forms.
The Delhi government ordered all city liquor vends closed for two days from Friday as a preventive public-order measure ahead of a CJP protest .
The INDIA bloc on Thursday, 9 October 2026, continued its protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar for the third consecutive day, with Congress leader Udit Raj asserting that raising its voice against the Election Commission of India (ECI) is not just the opposition's right — it is its constitutional duty.
What Udit Raj Said
Speaking to reporters, Raj said, 'When the Election Commission acts wrongly, resulting in the deletion of crores of votes or changes Form, the opposition will raise its voice; that is precisely the opposition's role. And why just the opposition? Every citizen, whether from civil society, an NGO, the student community, the youth, or the media, ought to speak up, because democracy is being murdered.'
He added: 'That is why the opposition, under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, is waging this fight... Saving democracy, the Constitution, and the vote is crucial.'
Tuesday Detentions and Release
The protests escalated earlier this week when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several other INDIA bloc leaders were detained by the Delhi Police on Tuesday, hours after they gathered near Akashvani Bhawan following a police blockade that prevented their march towards the Election Commission's office. All detained leaders were subsequently released within hours.
Delhi Liquor Shops to Shut for Two Days
In a separate but related development, the Delhi government ordered all city liquor vends to remain closed for two days starting Friday, citing the need to maintain public order ahead of a scheduled protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The Delhi Excise Department, in a circular issued on Thursday and signed by Deputy Commissioner (Excise)/Licensing Authority Tanvir Ahmad, stated: 'The closure has been ordered as a preventive measure to maintain public order, based on the prevailing situation and inputs received from Delhi Police. The order applies to liquor vends operating under specified licences, including L6, L6FG, L8, L10 and L14.'
The order triggered a rush at government liquor vends across the national capital, with regular customers lining up to stock up ahead of the closure.
Opposition's Take on the Liquor Order
Commenting on the closure order, Raj said he saw no logic in it: 'I fail to see any logic behind shutting them for two days or how that relates to the agitation. However, it might be a diversionary tactic on their part. While the government is certainly free to make such decisions, the rationale escapes me...'
What's Next
The INDIA bloc protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar show no signs of abating, with opposition leaders framing the agitation as a broader battle for electoral integrity. The stand-off between the opposition and the Election Commission is expected to intensify in the coming days, particularly if demands for accountability over alleged voter roll deletions and form changes go unaddressed.
Point of View
Sustained detention of leaders like Rahul Gandhi can generate sympathy but also accusations of performative politics if concrete accountability does not follow. The Election Commission, by staying silent on the specific allegations of mass voter deletion, is allowing the narrative vacuum to be filled entirely by the opposition. The Delhi government's liquor shop closure order — timed to a different protest altogether — has inadvertently handed critics a ready-made distraction charge, muddying a story that was shaping up as a clean accountability test for an independent constitutional body.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the INDIA bloc protesting against CEC Gyanesh Kumar?
The INDIA bloc is demanding accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations that the Election Commission wrongly deleted crores of votes from electoral rolls and made changes to official forms. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have framed this as an attack on free and fair elections.
Were Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra really detained?
Yes. On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other INDIA bloc leaders were detained by Delhi Police after they gathered near Akashvani Bhawan, having been stopped from marching to the Election Commission's office. They were released within hours of their detention.
What did Congress leader Udit Raj say about the protests?
Udit Raj said the opposition — and indeed every citizen, from civil society to students to the media — has a duty to speak up when the Election Commission acts wrongly. He described the situation as one where 'democracy is being murdered' and said the fight under Rahul Gandhi's leadership is about saving the Constitution and the vote.
Why are Delhi liquor shops closing for two days?
The Delhi Excise Department issued a circular ordering all city liquor vends — under licences including L6, L6FG, L8, L10, and L14 — to close for two days from Friday as a preventive public-order measure ahead of a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest, based on inputs from Delhi Police.
How has the opposition reacted to the liquor shop closure?
Congress leader Udit Raj said he could find no logic linking the liquor shop closure to any ongoing agitation, suggesting it could be a 'diversionary tactic', while acknowledging the government's legal authority to issue such orders.
