Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and over 150 INDIA bloc MPs staged a high-decibel protest outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in New Delhi on 6 October 2026, demanding to submit a memorandum to the poll body. Gandhi and several other opposition leaders were briefly detained after Delhi Police blocked their march with multiple layers of barricades.

How the Protest Unfolded

The INDIA bloc MPs, waving tricolours and banners reading 'Save Democracy', marched toward the ECI headquarters, which is housed near Akashvani Bhawan in the capital. When stopped at police barricades roughly 300 metres from the commission's office, Gandhi climbed onto one of the barricades and waved a large national flag, drawing loud slogans from the assembled leaders and supporters.

The opposition leaders, unable to proceed further, subsequently pushed open the gates of Akashvani Bhawan and held a sit-in inside its premises. According to sources, a police control room call was later made from Akashvani Bhawan, stating that Gandhi had entered the premises forcefully.

Who Was on the Ground

Among those present at the sit-in inside Akashvani Bhawan were Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Pawan Khera, and Imran Pratapgarhi, along with leaders from across the INDIA alliance. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien took to X to capture the mood: 'I.N.D.I.A. 150+ MPs on the ground today in the capital. High on energy. Low on egos.'

What the Opposition Said

Addressing reporters at the protest site, Congress MP Pawan Khera said: 'The Election Commission is right next to us, and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is not being allowed to go to the Election Commission; he has been stopped.' He added: 'The Election Commission is barely 100 metres from here, and when the Leader of Opposition wants to go there and submit a memorandum, he is being stopped, and everyone is being stopped very harshly. This is the state of democracy in the national capital of this country.'

The INDIA bloc MPs raised slogans against the Chief Election Commissioner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the RSS during the march. Banners calling for the defence of democratic institutions were prominently displayed throughout.

Security Deployment and Police Response

In anticipation of the march, Delhi Police and other security forces were placed on high alert. Multiple barricades were erected outside the ECI office ahead of the protest. The decision to block the opposition's path and the subsequent brief detention of Gandhi and other leaders drew sharp criticism from the INDIA bloc, which accused authorities of suppressing legitimate democratic dissent.

Wider Context

This is not the first time opposition parties have marched to the Election Commission over concerns about the electoral process. The protest reflects deepening tensions between the INDIA alliance and the poll body, with the opposition consistently alleging institutional bias. Notably, the scale of today's mobilisation — with more than 150 MPs from multiple parties converging on the capital — signals a coordinated effort to pressure the ECI ahead of upcoming electoral contests. The next move is expected to hinge on whether the commission agrees to receive the opposition delegation's memorandum.