MP Congress protests SIR electoral rolls, demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation
Synopsis
Madhya Pradesh Congress took to the streets on 8 October, marching from Bhopal's Board Office Square to the Ambedkar statue and burning CEC effigies in Indore and Sagar — all in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi's Delhi agitation against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The party's claim that 13 crore votes have been 'stolen' and allegations that 15 workers were deboarded at Itarsi signal an escalating, well-coordinated national campaign against the Election Commission.
Key Takeaways
Madhya Pradesh Congress staged block- and district-level protests on 8 October 2026 against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Former CM Digvijaya Singh , MP Congress president Jitu Patwari , and LoP Umang Singhar led a march in Bhopal ; protesters disrupted traffic at Board Office Square.
Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar , alleging the ECI is not impartial.
Digvijaya Singh alleged that 13 crore votes had been 'stolen' and accused the BJP of promoting authoritarian governance.
Congress alleged that more than 15 party workers were made to deboard a train at Itarsi while travelling to join Rahul Gandhi's protest in Delhi.
CM Mohan Yadav hit back, saying Congress should introspect on its losses rather than blame the Election Commission.
The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Thursday, 8 October 2026, staged widespread protests across the state against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, backing Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's agitation in New Delhi and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Demonstrations were held at block and district levels following a nationwide call by the Congress leadership.
Bhopal March and Sit-in Protest
In Bhopal, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari, and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Umang Singhar led a march from Board Office Square to the Ambedkar statue. Congress workers raised slogans against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and subsequently staged a sit-in at Board Office Square, with several protesters sitting and lying on the road, disrupting traffic at the busy intersection.
Tensions escalated when some protesters climbed the Ambedkar statue and raised slogans, prompting the deployment of additional police personnel. Workers of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) also reportedly attempted to spray black paint on a poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to an altercation with the police.
What Congress Leaders Said
Speaking to reporters, Digvijaya Singh framed the protests as a defence of citizens' voting rights. “We have to sit on the road in the interest of the people. We are protesting to restore the rights that have been taken away from the people,” he said.
Singh alleged that 13 crore votes had been “stolen” and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of promoting a dictatorial style of governance. “This is not a battle for Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi; it is a fight for the rights of the people of this country,” he said. He also demanded CEC Kumar's resignation, asserting that “if the Election Commission is not impartial, democracy will not survive.”
Jitu Patwari said the party was observing a ‘Black Day’ across the state in protest against what he described as police action on Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and INDIA bloc MPs during their demonstration in Delhi. Patwari pledged that the Congress would continue raising questions about electoral rolls through democratic means.
Protests in Other Districts
Demonstrations spread to several other districts. In Indore, Congress workers burnt an effigy of Gyanesh Kumar and raised slogans demanding his resignation. In Sagar, party workers dressed in black and tied their hands with ropes before burning an effigy of the Chief Election Commissioner.
The Congress also alleged that more than 15 party workers travelling to Delhi to join Rahul Gandhi's protest were made to deboard a train at Itarsi. The party has not provided further details about the circumstances, and the claims remain unverified by independent sources.
BJP Hits Back: CM Yadav's Counter
Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav criticised the Congress for blaming the Election Commission for its electoral setbacks, saying the party should instead introspect about its organisation and leadership. Pointing to Congress governments in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, Yadav questioned the party's criticism of the electoral process. “If there is distrust in the Election Commission's process, then what is the meaning of Congress's victory in Kerala?” he said.
What Comes Next
This is part of a broader, nationwide Congress campaign against the SIR process, which the party argues disenfranchises voters. With protests now co-ordinated at the block and district levels across multiple states, the agitation is likely to intensify in the coming days, particularly as the INDIA bloc builds pressure on the Election Commission and the Centre over the electoral rolls revision.
Point of View
It risks being dismissed as rhetoric rather than driving policy accountability. Chief Minister Yadav's counter — pointing to Congress victories in Kerala and Himachal as proof the ECI is functional — is politically convenient but sidesteps the specific procedural concerns about SIR that civil society groups have also raised. The allegation that workers were deboarded at Itarsi, if verified, would be the most consequential element of today's protests and warrants independent investigation.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and verify voter rolls. The Congress party has alleged that the SIR process has resulted in the deletion or suppression of a large number of legitimate votes, framing it as an infringement on citizens' democratic rights.
Why is the Congress demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation?
The Congress alleges that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has overseen an electoral roll revision process that is not impartial. Digvijaya Singh argued that a functioning democracy requires a neutral Election Commission, and that Kumar's continuation in office undermines that principle.
What happened at the Bhopal protest on 8 October?
Senior Congress leaders including Digvijaya Singh, Jitu Patwari, and Umang Singhar led a march from Board Office Square to the Ambedkar statue in Bhopal. Protesters disrupted traffic at the intersection, some climbed the Ambedkar statue, and NSUI workers allegedly attempted to spray black paint on a poster of PM Modi, leading to a standoff with police.
What did CM Mohan Yadav say about the Congress protests?
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav dismissed the protests, saying the Congress was blaming the Election Commission for its own electoral failures. He pointed to the party's governing presence in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh as evidence that the ECI operates without bias.
Who is affected by the SIR controversy?
The Congress claims that approximately 13 crore voters — predominantly from groups it says are likely to support the opposition — have been disenfranchised by the SIR process. The allegation has not been independently verified, but the party says it will continue its campaign through democratic means to restore those voting rights.
