INDIA Bloc Plans New Protest After Filing Supreme Court Petition

Politics29 sourcesOct 12, 2026

SplitFactual rigor 53/100

The Story

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to host INDIA bloc MPs for a high tea on Tuesday to discuss a joint strategy for protests against alleged “vote chori” and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

This meeting follows a “March for Democracy” on Monday in central Delhi, where opposition leaders, activists, and civil society members protested alleged poll irregularities. Leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, and Tejashwi Yadav participated. The march culminated in filing a joint petition at the Supreme Court challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Supreme Court registry flagged over 10 defects in the petition, including a shortfall of over Rs 200 in court fees, missing documents, and a blurred copy of Mallikarjun Kharge’s identity card. The registry also sought clarification on naming individual Election Commissioners as private respondents. The plea seeks an interim suspension of the SIR exercise and an independent committee to audit electoral roll deletions.

The petition is expected to be heard on Tuesday. The Chief Justice of India declined a request to meet with Leaders of Opposition on the issue, stating the matter is sub judice. The Congress claimed 2.5 lakh people participated in Monday's protest. The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction also planned a “massive protest march” in Kolkata on Tuesday against the Centre and Election Commission, demanding the removal and arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari accused opposition parties of joining “Dimagi Naxals” and anti-national forces. The SIR exercise, which began last year, saw over 130 million names deleted from voter lists. The Election Commission denies favoring any party and states wrongly deleted voters can re-enroll. Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar as a protest site on Monday, naming three new spots. Authorities closed six metro stations and imposed traffic restrictions in Delhi due to the planned protests.

What they agree on

The INDIA bloc conducted a "March for Democracy" in Delhi on Monday, culminating in a petition filed at the Supreme Court.
The petition challenges the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and names Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other Election Commissioners as respondents.
The Supreme Court registry identified multiple defects in the petition, including a shortfall in court fees and missing documents.
The Election Commission denies favoring any party, while the BJP accuses opposition parties of undermining democratic institutions.
Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to host INDIA bloc MPs for a high tea on Tuesday to discuss future protest strategies.

Where they split

Sources differ on the exact number of defects flagged by the Supreme Court registry, with some reporting over 10 defects and others specifying 14 defects.
The New Indian Express reports a court fee shortfall of over Rs 200, while News18 and The Hindu specify a shortfall of Rs 220.
The New Indian Express states the Chief Justice of India declined a request to meet with LoPs, while The Kathmandu Post reports opposition parties are marching to file a petition after the Chief Justice declined their request for a meeting.
The New Indian Express and The Hindu mention the protest reached the Supreme Court's doorstep and leaders went to file the petition, while News18 and The Times of India highlight Rahul Gandhi posing with a Batman mask during the march.