Opposition MPs Detained in Delhi Protest Over Voter Roll Revision

Police in Delhi detained several opposition lawmakers as they tried to march demanding the chief election commissioner resign over a controversial voter roll revision.

Detention and Ejection

Main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka and other MPs were forced onto a police bus. After a brief release, they resumed the march and staged a sit‑in near the Election Commission headquarters.

The Voter Roll Controversy

The crux of the dispute lies in the Election Commission's "Special Intensive Revision" of electoral rolls, a programme that purged more than 130 million names nationwide. Opposition parties claim that many eligible voters were wrongly removed, potentially benefiting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Political Fallout

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge outlined non‑negotiable demands: Kumar's resignation, cancellation of the SIR exercise and a return to paper ballot voting. BJP MP Sambit Patra criticised the protests, calling them “a sponsored attempt” to disrupt constitutional institutions.

Legal Challenges

The Supreme Court has invited both the federal government and the Election Commission to answer a petition alleging that CEC Kumar made unilateral decisions. While the court declined to suspend him now, it warned that any decision bypassing the commission’s collective process may be set aside.

"Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign," mumbled Rahul Gandhi on Twitter.