INDIA bloc protest LIVE UPDATES: Led by Rahul Gandhi, oppn leaders march to Rajghat for sit-in protest

Congress workers outside restaurant in Connaught Place where INDIA bloc leaders held a lunch meeting on 8 October, 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht | Stay tuned to ThePrint for LIVE UPDATES

INDIA bloc leaders held a lunch meeting at a restaurant in Connaught Place to plan for a third consecutive day of demonstrations to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Amid heavy deployment of police, CAPF and RAF in central Delhi, the opposition leaders are expected to march to Rajghat.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), too, has issued a protest call for 10 October for Jantar Mantar.

Stay tuned to ThePrint for LIVE UPDATES on the INDIA bloc protest.

INDIA bloc protest LIVE UPDATES:

4 pm: Congress workers march to Rajghat

Congress leaders, led by Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, are proceeding towards Rajghat in large numbers to stage a sit-in protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s SIR.

Congress workers marching to Rajghat from Connaught Place in New Delhi on 8 October, 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi ahead of the march to Rajghat in New Delhi on 8 October, 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

Congress workers and leaders crossing Minto Bridge during march to Rajghat in New Delhi on 8 October, 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

3.45 pm: Security beefed up at Rajghat

Delhi Police have deployed personnel at Rajghat as opposition leaders led by Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi head to the Gandhi Smriti on their third day of protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and SIR.

Police deployment at Rajghat in New Delhi on 8 October, 2026 | Ilma Firoz/ThePrint

Congress flag at Rajghat on 8 October, 2026 | Ilma Firoz/ThePrint

3.30 pm: Why Oppn is demanding rollback of SIR

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition leaders have escalated the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Watch #CutTheClutter episode 1913 where ThePrint Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta explains the questions raised over SIR.

3.15 pm: Oppn leaders to march to Rajghat

Following the conclusion of the lunch meeting, opposition leaders led by LoP Rahul Gandhi have announced their plans to march to Rajghat on the third day of their demonstrations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and SIR.

WATCH LIVE:

2.45 pm: Rahul arrives for lunch meeting

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has arrived for the meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at a restaurant in Connaught Place. Also present is Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy.

Chaliye Shuru Karte Hain 😉 pic.twitter.com/OlD7qcN74R

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 8, 2026

Congress workers and leaders were detained en-masse Tuesday during their attempts to reach Nirvachan Sadan, which houses the offices of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The following day, Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a demonstration in central Delhi to emphasise their demands.