INDIA bloc march to Election Commission stopped in Delhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra detained

MPs, leaders and workers of the INDIA bloc parties, including the Congress, took to Delhi's streets to protest against the Election Commission. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, MP Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav were among the bloc leaders at the protest.

Hundreds of MPs from the bloc marched towards the Election Commission office, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police stopped them with barricades about 400 metres short of the office.

The biggest attraction at the protest was a placard held by Rahul Gandhi. He stood holding a Gen-Z-style placard reading "Gyanesh, it's done bro". He shared a video of it on his X account and commented on Gyanesh Kumar in Gen-Z style.

Unable to reach the Election Commission office, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and other opposition MPs sat on a dharna near the barricade. Some Samajwadi Party leaders climbed onto the barricade.

Protesters shouted slogans of "Matchora, singhasan chhodo!" Security at the spot had been stepped up. Paramilitary forces were brought near the protest site, and police and security forces cordoned off the area from several sides. Two to three police buses were also parked nearby. More protesters kept arriving at the spot.

Police said permission had not been taken for the march. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with some Congress MPs and opposition leaders, was then detained. Rahul Gandhi was not detained and is sitting on a dharna at the protest site with the remaining opposition MPs.

During the protest, the Congress made serious allegations against Gyanesh Kumar and demanded his resignation and arrest. The party also called him an agent of "vote thieves".

The protest comes amid a political controversy over the SIR process. Opposition parties are raising questions about the Election Commission. The Commission, for its part, has denied any differences among the three election commissioners and said decisions related to the SIR are taken unanimously.