The Congress-led INDIA Bloc on Monday intensified its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar by organising a march to the Supreme Court in New Delhi, demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Senior Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav, were expected to participate in the protest, which was branded as the “Chalo Dilli” march. Ahead of the demonstration, Delhi witnessed heightened security arrangements, with restrictions imposed across several parts of the capital and key Metro stations temporarily closed to manage the situation.
Before the march, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined the Opposition’s request for a meeting, stating that the issues they intended to raise were already pending before the Supreme Court and should be addressed through the judicial process. The court reportedly advised the Opposition to file a formal petition instead of seeking an administrative meeting. Later, sources indicated that a limited number of Congress leaders would be allowed to enter the Supreme Court premises to submit their petition at the designated filing counter. Addressing the media, Rahul Gandhi criticised the heavy deployment of security forces in Delhi, questioned the restrictions imposed in the city, and reiterated the Opposition’s allegations against the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police continued extensive security measures as authorities monitored the protests and maintained law and order across the national capital. Around 20,000 paramilitary personnel will reportedly remain deployed in Delhi for the next month due to the ongoing protests and the festive season. Police also said they had removed nearly 300 social media posts allegedly spreading misinformation and rumours related to the demonstrations. Separately, the Delhi High Court agreed to hear petitions concerning the closure of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue and allegations of violence against protesters, while authorities confirmed that future demonstrations in Delhi would be shifted to newly designated locations, including Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground.
