SC to hear pregnant journalist's allegation against Rahul Gandhi on Oct 26
Synopsis
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a pregnant journalist's allegation that Rahul Gandhi grabbed and pulled her during the INDIA bloc's march to the apex court — a hearing now set for October 26 that will put both the specific allegation and the wider question of political demonstrations on court premises under judicial scrutiny.
Key Takeaways
The Supreme Court will hear on 26 October journalist Richa Parashar's application alleging she was pushed and pulled by Rahul Gandhi during the INDIA bloc march on 12 October .
Parashar, who is three months pregnant and works with Oneindia , was subsequently hospitalised after allegedly being pushed by Gandhi's security personnel.
CJI Surya Kant confirmed notice had already been issued in all connected matters and directed the case to be listed on 26 October .
A separate Bench directed preservation of CCTV footage and digital evidence relating to the 12 October incident.
The Congress has denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated, and circulated videos questioning whether the visuals support the claim.
The INDIA bloc marched to the Supreme Court after the CJI declined to meet Gandhi and Kharge over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Supreme Court on Friday, 16 October 2026, agreed to list on 26 October an application filed by a pregnant journalist who alleged that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi pushed and pulled her during the INDIA bloc leaders' march to the apex court premises over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, who confirmed that notice had already been issued in all connected matters.
The Allegation
Journalist Richa Parashar, who works with news website Oneindia and is three months pregnant, alleged that Gandhi grabbed her hand and pulled her aggressively while she was covering the march. She further alleged that his security personnel pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground. Parashar was subsequently hospitalised following the incident, which she says occurred amid the commotion on the Supreme Court premises on 12 October.
How the Matter Reached Court
Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia mentioned the application before the CJI-led Bench, seeking a date for hearing and clarification on whether notice had been issued in the connected matters. The Bench clarified that notice had already been issued and directed the application to be listed on 26 October. Separately, a Bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Thursday issued notice on a distinct plea seeking safeguards against political demonstrations in and around court premises and directed the preservation of CCTV footage and other digital evidence relating to the incident.
Congress Denies the Allegations
The Indian National Congress (INC) has denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. Party leaders and supporters have circulated videos of the incident, questioning whether the visuals establish that Gandhi pushed the journalist. The episode has deepened the political controversy surrounding the INDIA bloc's march to the Supreme Court.
Background: The INDIA Bloc March and Its Fallout
The Opposition march was undertaken by INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, after the CJI declined their request to meet him and accept a memorandum on the SIR exercise. The CJI had advised the Opposition to approach the court through the established legal process, noting that convening a meeting to discuss pending cases would be contrary to the constitutional principle of separation of powers. During Thursday's proceedings, Bhatia submitted that it was 'unacceptable' for the apex court to have to deal with a political procession, prompting the CJI-led Bench to observe that 'nobody can browbeat' the Supreme Court.
What Happens Next
The application concerning Parashar's allegations will be heard on 26 October. The court's direction to preserve CCTV and digital evidence signals that the judicial scrutiny of the 12 October incident is set to intensify. The hearing is expected to address both the specific allegation against Gandhi and the broader question of whether political demonstrations on Supreme Court premises require formal regulatory safeguards.
Point of View
The court's parallel notice on whether political demonstrations near its premises need formal safeguards signals that the judiciary is acutely aware this incident has set a precedent it would rather not repeat.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the allegation against Rahul Gandhi involving a journalist?
Journalist Richa Parashar, who is three months pregnant and works with Oneindia, alleged that Rahul Gandhi grabbed her hand and pulled her aggressively while she was covering the INDIA bloc leaders' march to the Supreme Court on 12 October. She further alleged that his security personnel pushed her, causing her to fall, following which she was hospitalised.
When will the Supreme Court hear the case?
The Supreme Court agreed on 16 October to list the application on 26 October. CJI Surya Kant confirmed that notice had already been issued in all connected matters and directed the case to be scheduled accordingly.
What has the Congress said about the allegations?
The Congress has denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. Party leaders and supporters have circulated videos of the incident, questioning whether the visuals actually establish that Gandhi pushed the journalist.
Why did the INDIA bloc leaders march to the Supreme Court?
The INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, marched to the Supreme Court after CJI Surya Kant declined their request to meet him and accept a memorandum on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The CJI had advised the Opposition to use the established legal process, noting that meeting to discuss pending cases would breach the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
What other orders has the Supreme Court issued related to the incident?
A Bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on a separate plea seeking safeguards against political demonstrations in and around court premises and directed the preservation of CCTV footage and other digital evidence related to the 12 October incident.
