Rahul Gandhi says Delhi has been turned into a fortress as INDIA bloc plans march over election commission row

Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that Delhi had been turned into a fortress as opposition parties prepared a march related to demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Speaking at a press conference, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said public movement had been restricted for several days, trains and buses were being stopped, and people were being asked to get down. He put the number of police on the streets at 20,000 to 30,000.

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi had written to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant seeking a meeting. The Chief Justice declined the meeting, saying the Supreme Court’s doors are open to everyone and that petitions can be filed. The INDIA bloc had planned to submit a memorandum. Some leaders said they would still proceed toward the court.

Delhi police have closed entry and exit at several metro stations and issued traffic advisories around Jantar Mantar and other points. Authorities earlier de-notified Jantar Mantar as a protest site and named three alternative venues. The Supreme Court has directed that metro and internet services must function normally and that illegal detentions must not occur, subject to public order.

The protests centre on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and allegations of irregularities that opposition parties have called “vote chori.” The Election Commission has rejected the claims. Some detained activists from the Cockroach Janta Party were released by a magistrate on condition they not breach the peace for one year.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the opposition for blaming the Election Commission after electoral losses and said the protests inconvenience the public. The Congress has called for citizens to join the march. As of Monday afternoon the precise route and the number of people who would reach the court complex remained unclear because of the police deployments.

The immediate administrative consequence is continued disruption of normal movement in central Delhi and the refusal of a personal meeting with the Chief Justice. Whether the opposition will file a formal petition and how the court handles any such filing will determine the next legal step.