DELHI TURNS INTO A POLITICAL FORTRESS AS RAHUL GANDHI MOBILISES OPPOSITION FOR SUPREME COURT MARCH
October 12, 2026
New Delhi was placed under heightened security on Monday as Rahul Gandhi prepared to lead an INDIA bloc demonstration towards the Supreme Court over alleged electoral irregularities and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The mobilisation follows a weekend of mass detentions, transport restrictions and clashes during protests organised against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Gandhi urged citizens to participate in the demonstration, describing the government’s restrictions as a serious political mistake. He accused the authorities of transforming the capital into a fortress, alleging that people were being stopped from entering Delhi and prevented from travelling by train and bus. He said the opposition intended to demonstrate that concerns over electoral transparency could not be suppressed through barricades and police deployment.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the security operation, Gandhi alleged that police personnel were being ordered to use force against young protesters while individuals associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were being allowed greater freedom. He also claimed that some police personnel themselves were distressed by the instructions they had received. These allegations formed part of his criticism of the government’s response to the demonstrations.
The INDIA bloc’s planned march comes after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a request from Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for a meeting to discuss their allegations of “vote chori”. The opposition leaders had sought an audience to present their concerns about electoral-roll revision and the conduct of the Election Commission. The Chief Justice reportedly indicated that such a meeting would be inconsistent with the separation of powers.
Despite the refusal, opposition parties decided to continue their campaign through a public demonstration. Congress announced a march from the Connaught Place area, while other INDIA bloc leaders also indicated that they would assemble and proceed towards the Supreme Court. Security was strengthened around key locations, with police and paramilitary personnel positioned at major intersections and near the court complex.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced that entry and exit would remain closed at six stations from 6 am until 4 pm on Monday for security reasons. The affected stations were Patel Chowk, Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat and Barakhamba Road. Interchange facilities were to remain available, with the situation subject to review by security agencies.
The security restrictions followed Saturday’s crackdown on the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Police detained thousands of people across the capital, including activists, students, lawyers and political leaders, although published estimates of the total number detained differed. More than 20 first information reports were registered in connection with incidents during the protest, including allegations of assaults on police personnel.
CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, meanwhile, planned to approach Parliament Street police station on Monday to seek an official date for their proposed peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The party had given Delhi Police a 24-hour ultimatum to respond, warning that it would announce another protest if no date was provided. The organisation has maintained that its campaign will continue until Kumar resigns.
The CJP’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, and the two co-convenors were released on Sunday after being produced before an executive magistrate. Following their release, the leaders alleged that police had seized their mobile phones and denied them access to lawyers. They also raised concerns about possible interference with their devices, claims that have not been independently established.
The BJP has rejected the opposition’s accusations of electoral manipulation and defended the security measures on public-order grounds. The Election Commission has also denied deliberate wrongdoing in the revision of electoral rolls. The dispute remains unresolved, with the opposition demanding a halt to the SIR exercise, greater transparency and Kumar’s resignation.
Monday’s planned march marks a further escalation in the political confrontation, shifting the focus from the blocked Jantar Mantar demonstration to the Supreme Court and the question of institutional accountability. With security restrictions still affecting central Delhi and the CJP preparing another protest, the controversy over electoral transparency, preventive policing and the right to peaceful assembly continues to dominate the capital’s political landscape.
