Rahul Gandhi, Kharge lead Opposition march to Rajghat over EC 'vote theft' row
Synopsis
For the third straight day, Congress and the INDIA bloc took their 'vote chori' agitation to Rajghat — with Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge leading the march. The target: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whose Special Intensive Revision exercise the Opposition calls a BJP-backed conspiracy to strip citizens of their votes. With a Jantar Mantar rally set for 10 October, the pressure campaign shows no sign of easing.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge led a march to Rajghat on 8 October , the third consecutive day of Opposition protests.
The agitation targets Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar , with the Opposition demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Senior Congress and INDIA bloc leaders held a strategy meeting at Connaught Place before marching to Rajghat.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to the public's voice.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a separate demonstration at Jantar Mantar on 10 October over alleged electoral malpractices.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge led hundreds of party leaders and workers to Rajghat on Thursday, 8 October, as the Congress-led Opposition entered its third consecutive day of protests against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise for electoral rolls. The demonstrators are pressing for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing the poll panel of orchestrating what they call 'vote chori' — or vote theft.
From Connaught Place to Rajghat
Senior leaders of the Congress and the broader INDIA bloc first assembled at Connaught Place in New Delhi for a luncheon meeting, where they reportedly strategised on escalating their agitation. The procession then moved to Rajghat — the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi — a symbolically charged venue chosen to underline the Opposition's argument that the democratic rights won by India's freedom movement are now under threat.
Key Demands and What Leaders Said
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, speaking to reporters at Rajghat, reiterated the Opposition's demand for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to heed the public's voice. Kharge, addressing scribes after the lunch meeting, alleged that the freedoms secured by India's freedom fighters were being 'snatched' by the poll panel and that citizens' 'right to vote is being taken away.' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also among the prominent faces who joined the street demonstrations over the past two days in the national capital.
Opposition's Core Allegations
The Opposition claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government and the Election Commission have allegedly conspired to undermine democratic processes through what they describe as a 'criminal conspiracy' to steal votes via the SIR exercise. They have accused the poll panel of weakening constitutional bodies, though the ECI has not publicly responded to these specific allegations. The charges remain contested and unverified.
Protest Movement Widens
The agitation is not confined to established Opposition parties. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a student-and-activist outfit, has announced a separate demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on 10 October, raising concerns over alleged electoral malpractices — a sign that the SIR controversy is drawing in civic groups beyond the formal political Opposition. This comes amid a broader national conversation about the independence and accountability of constitutional bodies, a debate that has intensified since the electoral outcomes of 2024.
What Happens Next
The Opposition bloc is expected to announce its next course of action following consultations at Rajghat. With the Jantar Mantar demonstration scheduled for 10 October, pressure on the Election Commission and the Union government is set to continue through the week. Whether the ECI issues a formal rebuttal or the government responds to the resignation demand will be closely watched in the coming days.
Point of View
Designed to frame the electoral-roll controversy as a constitutional crisis rather than a procedural dispute. Yet the core allegation, that the ECI's SIR exercise amounts to 'vote theft' orchestrated with the BJP, remains unsubstantiated in the public domain; the poll panel has yet to issue a detailed rebuttal. The real risk for the Opposition is that without documentary evidence tying specific deletions or additions to partisan intent, the protest risks being dismissed as electoral posturing ahead of state polls. The entry of civil society groups like the CJP suggests the concern is at least partially resonating beyond party lines — but resonance alone does not make a charge.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a periodic exercise by the Election Commission of India to update and clean up electoral rolls, adding new eligible voters and removing ineligible or deceased entries. The Opposition alleges that the current SIR round has been conducted with irregularities that could disenfranchise legitimate voters, charges the ECI has not publicly addressed in detail.
Why is the Opposition demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation?
The Congress-led Opposition alleges that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar oversaw the SIR exercise in a manner that amounts to 'vote theft,' and that the poll panel has conspired with the BJP-led Union government to undermine democratic processes. The CEC has not responded publicly to the resignation demand.
What happened at Rajghat on 8 October 2026?
Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and hundreds of Congress and INDIA bloc leaders marched to Rajghat on 8 October, the third consecutive day of protests. The venue was chosen symbolically to invoke the legacy of the freedom movement in defence of voting rights.
Who else is joining the protests against the Election Commission?
Beyond the formal Opposition, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a student-and-activist group, has announced a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 10 October over alleged electoral malpractices, signalling that civic concern is spreading beyond established parties.
What is the Opposition's next course of action?
The Opposition was expected to finalise its next steps during consultations at Rajghat on 8 October. The Jantar Mantar rally on 10 October is the next confirmed public action, and leaders have indicated they will continue to escalate pressure on the ECI and the Union government.
