Opposition leaders defy police blockade in protest against poll body

Barred by heavy security from reaching Jantar Mantar, INDIA bloc lawmakers doubled down on their agitation against the Election Commission of India. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge dismissed the looming threat of legal action, asserting that the opposition would not be deterred by police cases or government intimidation tactics.

Editorial·October 7, 2026·reads: 909

Opposition leaders defy police blockade in protest against poll body

The standoff follows an FIR registered against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other opposition MPs for allegedly entering Akashvani Bhavan without authorization during Tuesday’s protest. Lawmakers are demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision exercise, an issue they say the government is refusing to address.

Opposition leaders characterized the police blockade as a direct assault on democratic rights. Charanjit Singh Channi labeled the restrictions as state-sponsored hooliganism, while Pawan Khera argued that preventing members of parliament from accessing a designated protest site violates constitutional protections under Article 19. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha went further, claiming that the force used by security personnel signaled a broader attempt to suppress democratic dissent. Despite the heavy deployment of police forces near the protest site, the alliance remains committed to their campaign against Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the central government.