Amid intensifying anti-CEC protests and police crackdown on protesters, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi has announced a march to the Supreme Court on Monday (October 12, 2026). The Congress leader has called on the “youth, all opposition parties, civil society groups, all those who believe in democracy and stand by the Constitution of India” to join the march. The Opposition alliance seeks to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, over alleged ‘vote chori’ (vote theft), but the CJI has declined to meet the Congress leader.

Also read: Anti-CEC row LIVE: Opposition leaders set to march to SC; six metro stations remain closed

Who is marching to SC

The national capital, which is witnessing a string of street protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and Special Intensive Revision (SIR), is bracing for another march on October 12 by the opposition alliance INDIA bloc.

Mr. Gandhi said that opposition parties, civil society groups and the youth would march to the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum to the CJI on behalf of the country. The Congress has termed the October 12 protest as “Chalo Delhi – March for Democracy”, for which the leaders are scheduled to converge at the Connaught Place-Barakhamba Road junction at 1.30 pm.

In a post on X, Mr. Gandhi said the march to the Supreme Court would be taken out by Indians united beyond parties, gender, caste, community and State. He appealed to every single person who believes in democracy to come with us. “Doesn’t matter what your affiliation is, as long as you are affiliated to the Constitution of India and you want to protect it,” he said.

Referring to October 10 protests, called by several youth organisations, including the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Mr Gandhi said the nation’s youth had come out in Delhi to protest peacefully but were “beaten”, both by “BJP goons and the police”.

Mr. Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have sought a meeting with CJI between 4 and 5 pm on Monday to hand over a memorandum demanding an end to “vote chori”, CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, halting of SIR of electoral rolls, and switching back to the paper ballot format.

October 12 will be the third day of the anti-CEC protests, which began on October 10. CJP and opposition leaders were among 7,000 protesters detained at multiple locations on October 10 as authorities thwarted their attempt to reach Jantar Mantar for a peaceful protest against CEC Kumar even as the national capital came under an unprecedented security clampdown.

Why the CJI declined to meet Congress leader

However, CJI Surya Kant declined to meet Mr. Gandhi on “vote chori” allegations, saying similar matters are sub judice on the judicial side in the Supreme Court.

The CJI’s office confirmed to The Hindu that the request for a meeting was “declined with reasons”.

As per The Hindu report, sources said the meeting was declined as the issues likely to be raised were already sub judice in the Supreme Court. Besides, the court cannot intervene in matters of governance and functioning of the state on its administrative side.

6 Delhi metro stations shut

Ahead of the Opposition’s Supreme Court march, entry and exit at six metro stations will remain closed from 6 am to 4 pm on October 12, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said

The affected six metro stations are – Patel Chowk, Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat and Barakhamba Road, as per the DMRC post on X.

Traffic curbs have also been enforced in the national capital ahead of the protest. As per the Traffic Police advisory, the diversions have come into effect from 6 a.m. and are likely to continue as the Opposition holds its march.

CJP and opposition leaders were among 7,000 protesters detained at multiple locations on October 10 as authorities thwarted their attempt to reach Jantar Mantar for a planned demonstration against CEC Kumar with an unprecedented security clampdown in Delhi.

(With PTI inputs)

A heated exchange broke out in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) after Opposition members demanded a discussion on alleged police excesses during the July 20 protest in Delhi, including the alleged use of pellet guns.

The committee, chaired by BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, was meeting to deliberate on the subject of ‘Crime Against Children’, with officials from four Ministries present for the discussion. However, minutes after the meeting commenced at 11 a.m., senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken raised a letter he had written to the chairperson earlier, seeking that all other agenda items be set aside to discuss what he described as the “excessive use of force” by the Delhi Police during last month’s youth-led protests in Jantar Mantar.

Summarising the contents of his letter, Mr. Maken said that security personnel had used pellet guns, deployed barricades that delivered electric shocks, and resorted to lathi-charge against protesters. He further claimed that a truck loaded with stones had been parked near Jantar Mantar to implicate demonstrators, and alleged that several police personnel were operating without name tags while some individuals in civilian clothes were seen using lathis against protesters.

Mr. Agarwal rejected the request, saying that the matter was sub judice and therefore could not be taken up by the committee under parliamentary rules. He also referred to directions issued by the Supreme Court and noted that a committee appointed by the apex court is already examining the issues. 

The ruling prompted strong objections from Opposition members, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, among others, who argued that the committee should discuss the allegations given their public significance.

Political slugfest

The debate, according to sources, then widened into a political slugfest between members of the ruling and Opposition parties. BJP MP Tarun Chugh referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and argued that allegations of police excesses from that period had never been adequately investigated. Congress member Jai Prakash countered that if State-related issues were being discussed, instances of alleged fake police encounters under BJP governments, including in Haryana, should also be examined.

The two members then engaged in a shouting match, prompting intervention by the chairperson.

Seeking to restore order, Mr. Agarwal proposed that the committee could, at a later stage, consider discussing the framing of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing police action during protests. Opposition members agreed to the suggestion.