Several leaders of the INDIA bloc gathered at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi Sunday to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and what it calls ‘vote chori‘, in objection to the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Prominent Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, K.C. Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav and others were in attendence.
On Saturday, 21 INDIA bloc parties led by the Congress “impeached” CEC Kumar in a first-of-its-kind mock parliament, adopting a six-point resolution accusing him of electoral manipulation, large-scale voter deletions and compromising the independence of the Election Commission, and demanding his immediate removal from office.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, ahead of the rally, appealed to people, students and civil society groups to join the demonstration at Ramlila Maidan.
Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Opposition of conspiring to destablise the government.
INDIA bloc rally | LIVE UPDATES
6.15 pm: Software engineer, businessmen: Protesters from all walks join INDIA bloc’s rally
Common citizens from across India joined the INDIA bloc protest Sunday afternoon, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, amid heavy security. They all turned up with the same message: citizens need to come out in large numbers and join the “people’s movement”. Samridhi Tewari reports:
6.05 pm: Glimpses from Ramlila Maidan
View this post on Instagram
5.40 pm: ‘Bengal & Bihar polls were fraudulent, fresh elections should be conducted’
‘It was a sham election. I had demanded earlier as well—the elections held in Bengal and Bihar were completely fraudulent; fresh elections should be conducted there,’ says RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav after Ramlila Maidan rally.
#WATCH | Delhi: INDIA Bloc Rally | RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "It was a sham election. I had demanded earlier as well—the elections held in Bengal and Bihar were completely fraudulent; fresh elections should be conducted there. The MLC elections currently taking place in… pic.twitter.com/n9tjI5exkL
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2026
5.30 pm: ‘40% of Ramlila Maidan was vacant,’ says Sambit Patra
In response to INDIA bloc’s rally, BJP MP Sambit Patra says at a press conference, “Out of 28,000 chairs [at Ramlila Maidan], around 5,000–7,000 were empty at 3.30-4 pm. This is the reality behind Congress’s claim of 10 lakh attendees.”
#WATCH | Delhi: BJP MP Sambit Patra says, "You can see in the background that 40 percent of the Ramlila Maidan, 40% of the space, was vacant. Rahul Gandhi and his team claimed that 10 lakh people would attend. Out of 28,000 chairs, around 5,000–7,000 were empty at 3:30–4 PM. This… pic.twitter.com/DvEA6G1TgZ
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2026
5.10 pm: Protest disrupts traffic around Ramlila Maidan as demonstrators hit the streets
Sunday’s INDIA bloc protest also brought parts of Delhi to a standstill, with demonstrators taking to the streets and raising slogans against SIR and CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Police barricades put in place to manage the situation added to the traffic chaos.
ThePrint’s Esha Mishra reports from the ground as commuters face major disruptions during a festive-season weekend and protesters continue their demonstration:
5.05 pm: 40 hr+ train journey from Assam, buses from Haryana: How opposition parties joined the protest
Several people affiliated to different political parties—Congress to CPI, and Samajwadi Party to RJD—from across India joined the INDIA bloc protest Sunday afternoon at the Ramlila Maidan, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The march and rally were conducted amid a heavy security cover. Samridhi Tewari reports from the ground:
5.00 pm: ‘Get ready to spend another 5 years in opposition’: Amit Shah responds to INDIA bloc rally
Meanwhile, flagging off the BJP’s march to counter INDIA bloc’s Ramlila Maidan rally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “For 15 years—effectively spanning three elections—he (Rahul Gandhi) has been losing. Sonia ji’s dream of seeing her son become Prime Minister remains unfulfilled. She has come up with a new approach: holding a ‘mock parliament’.”
He added, “I would like to tell Rahul ji: if you want to be Prime Minister, then just stay in a ‘mock parliament’ for the rest of your life—because your turn is never going to come.”
4.45 pm: A united front at Ramlila Maidan
INDIA bloc leaders take the stage at the rally Sunday
4.35 pm: ‘This is India’s protest, India’s voice’
Addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan, Rahul Gandhi says, “I feel bad that Gyanesh Kumar is scared and cannot sleep at night. But he has committed the biggest crime, trying to silence the voice and soul of the nation.”
#WATCH | INDIA bloc mega rally | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, "I am telling you, poor Gyanesh Kumar cannot sleep at night. I feel bad that Gyanesh Kumar is scared and cannot sleep at night. But he has committed the biggest crime, trying to silence the voice and soul of… pic.twitter.com/0JY7o5IEdB
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2026
4.20 pm: ‘Gyanesh Kumar will go to jail’
At the INDIA bloc rally, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, “Without Gyanesh Kumar, neither Narendra Modi would have become Prime Minister nor Amit Shah would have become Home Minister.”
#WATCH | INDIA bloc mega rally | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, "Listen to me. What I say always turns out to be true, doesn't it? I am telling every citizen and every youth of India: Gyanesh Kumar will be removed from the post of Chief Election Commissioner. Gyanesh… pic.twitter.com/ToyrUSCDll
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2026