LIVE | 'Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign': Rahul, INDIA bloc leaders head to Jantar Mantar for protest against CEC

After having lunch at Sagar Ratna in Janpath, Opposition MPs move towards Jantar Mantar aboard a bus to hold a sit-in protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Summary

Opposition MPs on Wednesday moved towards Jantar Mantar to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demand his removal. Rahul Gandhi said the opposition would tell people that Kumar was “not a legitimate CEC” and vowed to continue the agitation, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition was united in its fight to protect people’s rights. The protest comes a day after Rahul Gandhi led an over eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan, following an opposition march over alleged “vote chori”, with nearly 250 protesters detained.

Security beefed up at Jantar Mantar ahead of INDIA bloc protest

Heavy security deployed near Jantar Mantar as INDIA bloc MPs are scheduled to move towards the protest site here.

Barricades were raised at multiple locations in and around the New Delhi area, with a massive deployment of the Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.

VIDEO | Delhi: Security beefed up at Jantar Mantar. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/3WnV5Xf4j7

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 7, 2026

‘Article 19 gives us our Constitutional right’, says Pawan Khera

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday said, “since Delhi Police under Amit Shah is not allowing us to protest anywhere in the capital, all buses carrying MPs of opposition parties are now moving to Jantar Mantar - the designated spot for peaceful protests. Article 19 gives us our Constitutional right for democratic protest.”

Since Delhi Police under Amit Shah is not allowing us to protest anywhere in the capital, all buses carrying MPs of opposition parties are now moving to Jantar Mantar - the designated spot for peaceful protests. Article 19 gives us our Constitutional right for democratic protest.

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 ಪವನ್ ಖೇರಾ (@Pawankhera) October 7, 2026

'Agitation to continue until demands are met': Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X, opposition parties of the INDIA bloc will protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar today.

Kharge said INDIA bloc would continue the agitation until their demands are met as he alleged the rights of voters were being undermined.

Kharge said that the Narendra Modi government was behind the Election Commission's actions and said the Opposition would remain united in defending democratic rights.

Kharge said they would not be deterred by the filing of cases against them and would continue their protests.

INDIA गठबंधन के सभी साथी आज जंतर-मंतर पर ज्ञानेश कुमार के खिलाफ प्रदर्शन करेंगे। जब तक हमारी मांग पूरी नहीं हो जाती, हम प्रदर्शन करते रहेंगे। चुनाव आयोग जो भी कर रहा है, उसके पीछे नरेंद्र मोदी हैं। मतलब मोदी जी खुद लोकतंत्र को खत्म करने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं। इसलिए हम सभी पार्टी के लोग मिलकर देश के लोगों को बताना चाहते हैं कि उनका अधिकार छीना जा रहा है। जनता के अधिकारों की रक्षा के लिए हमारे ऊपर कितने भी केस कर दिए जाएं, हम डरने और रुकने वाले नहीं हैं।

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 7, 2026

‘There are 45 FIRs against me, aim is 100’: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition’s plan on Wednesday was to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar after 300 MPs were allegedly not allowed to meet the Election Commissioners on Tuesday.

“Like I said yesterday, 300 MPs wanted to meet the ECs yesterday, but we were not allowed to meet them. So today, our plan is to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar,” Gandhi said.

“We want to tell the country that Gyanesh Kumar is not a legitimate CEC. These people are desh-drohi. Gyanesh Kumar has to resign,” he added. Gandhi also said there were 45 FIRs against him. “But my aim is for 100 FIRs,” he said. “Every FIR is a medal for me,” he added.

‘Here together, without any ego’, says TMC MP Derek O'Brien after Kharge's lunch

TMC MP Derek O’Brien said opposition parties were united in their fight against the government over the Election Commission issue, asserting that they would continue the battle “till they are out”.

Speaking after a meeting of opposition MPs hosted by Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, O’Brien said the parties were together and would fight without any “egos”.

“We are all here together, we are all here united, and we are all here without any egos. We will fight the giant, till they are out,” he said.

#WATCH | Delhi: "We are all here together, we are all here united, and we are all here without any egos. We will fight the giant, till they are out," says TMC MP Derek O'Brien after Opposition MPs' meeting called by Congress president and LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on the CEC matter

— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2026

After lunch at Kharge's residence, INDIA bloc MPs move towards Jantar Mantar

Opposition MPs move towards Jantar Mantar in buses for holding protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, seeking his removal.

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#WATCH | Delhi: A bus carrying Congress chief-Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Opposition MPs moves towards Jantar Mantar after Opposition MPs' meeting called by Congress president and LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on the CEC matter

— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2026