RAMLILA MAIDAN CLEARED FOR CONGRESS SHOWDOWN: DELHI POLICE OPENS THE DOOR TO NOVEMBER 1 RALLY AMID ESCALATING SIR CONTROVERSY
October 17, 2026
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 17, 2026 — The Delhi Police has granted permission to the Congress to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the proposed gathering as the Opposition intensifies its campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and renews its demand for elections to be conducted using ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs).
A senior police officer confirmed on Saturday that the Indian National Congress had approached the authorities for the necessary clearance to organise the rally. The NOC permits the event to be held at the designated protest venue during the period from October 25 to November 3, providing the party with an authorised window to make arrangements for the November 1 gathering.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said the police had issued the requisite clearance after receiving the Congress's request. The Delhi Police added that it was coordinating with the rally organisers, traffic police and other concerned agencies to ensure appropriate security arrangements, effective traffic management and the smooth conduct of the event.
The proposed rally follows a meeting of the INDIA bloc on September 30, during which opposition parties finalised a joint action plan over the SIR controversy. The plan included rallies and “Save Democracy” marches as part of a broader campaign challenging the electoral-roll revision process.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge subsequently announced that the party would organise a major rally in Delhi on November 1. He also said that the participating opposition parties had agreed that elections should be conducted using ballot papers rather than EVMs, placing electoral transparency and the voting process at the centre of the alliance's political campaign.
The rally is expected to provide the Congress with a prominent platform to articulate its concerns over the revision of electoral rolls and to mobilise support for the INDIA bloc's proposed electoral reforms. The party's decision to organise a large gathering in the national capital reflects its intention to keep the SIR issue in public discussion and press for greater scrutiny of the process.
The controversy has intensified following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on at least 14 occasions over the preceding 10 months to decisions and orders relating to the SIR that they said had been issued without their knowledge or recommendation. The reported disagreements have added another dimension to the political debate over how the revision exercise has been administered.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that differences of opinion and observations are normal features of institutional deliberations. It has also asserted that its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
The competing positions have left the SIR process at the centre of an increasingly contentious political dispute. Opposition parties have called for scrutiny of the exercise, while the Election Commission has defended the legal validity of its decisions. The November 1 rally is expected to bring these concerns before a wider public audience.
The police clearance also marks an important logistical step for the Congress as it prepares for the event. Organising a major rally in central Delhi requires coordination among party organisers, law-enforcement agencies and traffic authorities, particularly when a large gathering is expected to affect movement around the venue.
The Delhi Police has stated that it is maintaining contact with the organisers and relevant agencies to prepare for the gathering. The permission covers the designated venue and the specified period, allowing preparations to proceed within the approved arrangements.
For the INDIA bloc, the rally forms part of a coordinated political response to the SIR controversy. Its demands concerning electoral-roll revision and the use of ballot papers have become central elements of its campaign, while the reported disagreements within the Election Commission have provided further grounds for the Opposition to seek greater transparency.
The granting of the NOC does not resolve the underlying dispute over the electoral-roll revision or the opposition demand for ballot-paper voting. It does, however, establish the immediate arrangements under which the Congress can proceed with its planned demonstration in the capital.
As November 1 approaches, attention will turn to the scale of participation, the messages delivered by Congress leaders and the response from the authorities and the Election Commission. The rally is set to become another significant episode in the continuing national debate over electoral administration, institutional accountability and public confidence in India's voting system.
