Opposition leaders march toward Supreme Court as protests over electoral rolls continue in Delhi

NEW DELHI, 12 October 2026 — Opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc marched toward the Supreme Court on Monday after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a request for a meeting on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continued for a second day, with police reporting roughly 700 detentions across the capital over the weekend.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and other party figures led the procession. The Chief Justice cited sub-judice proceedings and the constitutional separation of powers as reasons for declining the meeting. Congress has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging aspects of the revision process. The Election Commission has defended the exercise as a routine update required under the law.

Delhi Police deployed large numbers of personnel. Officers said the detentions were necessary to keep traffic moving and to prevent the gatherings from blocking key roads near the court and the Election Commission headquarters. Protesters allege that the revision has removed eligible voters in specific constituencies. The Commission has not published a final tally of deletions or additions for the current round.

The Supreme Court has previously stressed that any detention must follow due process and that ordinary movement of citizens should not be obstructed. On Monday the bench hearing related matters asked the Centre why trade margins on medicines could not be capped more broadly after limits were placed on anti-cancer drugs, an unrelated case that nonetheless kept the court’s attention on government process.

For the Election Commission the immediate task is to complete the revision while answering the petition. For the opposition the march keeps the issue in public view ahead of state elections scheduled later in the year. For residents of Delhi the practical result over the weekend was repeated roadblocks and the presence of large police contingents. No major violence was reported, and the metro continued to run with fewer barriers than on Sunday.

The petition will now proceed through the court’s ordinary schedule. Until a hearing date is set, the Commission continues its fieldwork and the opposition continues its street presence.