The INDIA bloc is set to hold a major protest rally at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi, on 1 November 2026, against the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Congress leaders on Sunday expressed confidence of a massive turnout, with one claiming attendance could cross 10-15 lakh people.

What the Rally Is About

The protest centres on Opposition objections to the SIR exercise — a revision of voter rolls that the INDIA bloc has alleged is riddled with irregularities and threatens the integrity of the electoral process. The bloc has also been demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, whom it accuses of failing to address these lapses. Delhi Police on Saturday granted the Congress formal permission to hold the event at Ramlila Maidan, clearing the way for what organisers expect to be one of the Opposition's largest mobilisations this year.

What Congress Leaders Said

Congress leader Hussain Dalwai said public frustration with the government had reached a tipping point. 'Right now, there is so much anger in people's minds because this government does not listen to anything at all. Despite repeatedly bringing it up and protesting in various ways, including protests led by the INDI Alliance, where a massive crowd gathered in Delhi on the 12th to raise their voice, the government is still not taking any action regarding the SIR, nor are they removing him,' he said, referring to the CEC.

Dalwai said the 1 November gathering would bring together political representatives and organisations from across the country. He added that removing Gyanesh Kumar was, in the Opposition's view, non-negotiable.

Congress leader Atul Londhe Patil went further, predicting the turnout could far exceed initial estimates. 'You speak of 500,000 people, but there won't even be space to stand. Not just 500,000, but over 10-15 lakhs of people from across the entire country are going to gather there on a massive scale; this is the information we have,' he said. Londhe Patil argued that public concern over alleged electoral and constitutional threats meant little outreach would be needed to fill the ground.

Background: The SIR Controversy

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has been a flashpoint between the ruling establishment and the Opposition for weeks. The INDIA bloc contends that the exercise, as currently designed, risks excluding eligible voters and could skew future electoral outcomes. On 12 October, Opposition parties had already held a protest march in Delhi that drew significant crowds. The 1 November rally is being positioned as a larger, nationwide escalation of that pressure campaign.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders have been spearheading the mobilisation drive, with Congress claiming support from affiliated organisations across multiple states.

Significance and What Comes Next

This comes amid a broader Opposition effort to frame the SIR controversy as a democratic and constitutional issue rather than a procedural dispute. Critics argue that the scale of the planned rally reflects deepening mistrust of electoral institutions. Whether the turnout matches the predictions of Congress leaders — or falls short — will itself become a political data point in the weeks ahead. All eyes will be on Ramlila Maidan on 1 November.