Delhi Protest Updates: Rahul Gandhi, INDIA Bloc MPs File PIL In SC Against SIR, Seek Voter Roll Audit

In view of the planned protests today. services at several metro stations in the capital are set to be closed from 6 AM to 4 PM today.

"They won't come even when the President invites them. They won't talk; they won't participate in discussions. Now, they won't spare the Supreme Court either and want to stage protests there too. It is an attempt to intimidate. No one is above the law in this country," Ghosh told reporters.

According to reports the Kerala Assembly is set to pass an unprecedented and historic resolution against Chief Election Comissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

"The Congress party and Rahul Gandhi are bankrupt of agenda. They are trying to mislead the people in the name of Special Intensive Revision. Congress party knows fully well this process has been done prior to this one eight times when Congress was in power," BJP MP K Laxman told ANI.

Barricades have been reduced at several points before the planned INDIA Bloc protests today, IANS reports.

BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan accused Rahul Gandhi of politicising Constitutional bodies like the Election Commission and Supreme Court.

"Rahul Gandhi's anarchic attempts to repeatedly politicise our constitutional institutions, this time the judiciary, are nothing but a sinister conspiracy to weaken our national unity," he said.

Congress workers gather at Himachal Bhavan and sloganeer over CEC Gyanesh Kumar matter INDIA Bloc will stage a protest march today to the Supreme Court.

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi said that according to the Supreme Court, protests are the right of each citizen.

"Protests, as even stated by the Supreme Court, are the right of each citizen.I am not linked to the INDIA Bloc. I cannot comment on this; they can carry on with their program," he said.

Delhi High Court Bar Association asks its members to wear black ribbons today to protest against the alleged excessive use of force against lawyers by Delhi Police during October 10 protests.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi will hold a press conference at Indira Bhawan at 11:30 AM ahead of the INDIA Bloc's planned protest march to Supreme Court today.

CJP has sought another date to hold a protest in Delhi after they were previously denied permission for their October 10 protest.

While Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav have confirmed their presence for the INDIA Bloc protest march to the Supreme Court.

Ahead of the INDIA Bloc's planned protest march to the Supreme Court CJI Surya Kant said that he had outlined the reasons for not meeting the opposition leaders and further added that the Supreme Court's doors are open to everyone.

"I received a letter yesterday regarding a meeting request, and I responded to it last night, outlining the reasons why I will be unable to meet," he told reporters.

"Gyanesh Kumar should resign if he cannot ensure free and fair elections," he told PTI.

Ahead of the INDIA Bloc's protest march to the Supreme Court, Rahul Gandhi posted a message on X.

"March for Democracy. March for Justice," the post said.

Rahul Gandhi's press conference before the INDIA Bloc's planned march to the supreme court is scheduled to begin in a few minutes. The press conference can be followed live at the LoP's official Youtube channel.

A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court against certain hooligans who allegedly attacked protestors and lawyers in the protests in Delhi, ANI reported.

CJP Spokesperson Saurav Das said that hey have given Delhi Police a 24 Hr ultimatum to allot them a date and time for conducting protests.

"Police tells everyone to approach them 10 days in advance. We are now saying that they have the choice to tell us the date and time (for protest at Jantar Mantar). We are giving them 24-hour ultimatum," Das told reporters.

Rahul Gandhi has left his residence and is due to head a press conference at Indira Bhawan ahead of the INDIA Bloc's planned march to the Supreme Court.

CJP Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka has expressed hope that the police will provide them a date and designated venue for them to protest. This comes after Saurav Das had said that the Delhi Police has been given a 3 hour ultimatum to give them a protest date.

"We are going to ask Delhi Police when we can hold a protest at Jantar Mantar. We hope the police will give us a date. If they do, we will gather within 24 hours to protest at the designated protest site. What should be the problem with holding a protest at a designated site?" Ranka said.

At the press conference being held by Rahul Gandhi at Indira Bhawan, the Leader of Opposition asked the government why was the capital city being jailed. He was referring to the measures taken by the government in response to the protest planned by CJP on October 10.

"Govt making a mistake by heavy deployment of police; we want to show people it is protecting CEC," he said at his press conference.

"Until we get justice, until Constitution is upheld, until election system is revamped we will continue," he said.

"Do not be afraid. These are cowards. We have to persevere," he said at his press conference.

"India is marching; join us today at 1.30 PM at Barakhamba Junction in Connaught Place. If you want to protect the Constitution, anyone from any party can join," he said at his press conference.

"I want to tell PM Modi, 200 officers from within your govt in touch with us; they are passing on information to us," he said at his press conference.

BJP workers were seen protesting outside the Indira Bhawan complex where Rahul Gandhi was holding a press conference a few minutes ago.

"My sister says we should plan our way out, but I told her that this is Tandav - Shiva's dance, and there is no planning involved in this. Today we are going to the Supreme Court, tomorrow something else will happen. The idea is perseverance. This is Shiva's Baraat, and anyone can come today," he said at his press conference.

The Supreme Court has said that it has neither approved, nor disapproved the alleged changes to Form-6 in its judgement that held the Special Intensive Revision constitutionally valid.

“What the CJI had said was that we had neither approved nor disapproved any such change to Form 6 in our judgement”, Justice Jyomala Bagchi said.

Jantar Mantar as a protest site has been de-notified based on recommendation by a committee formed by the MHA.

Three new venues viz Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground, East Delhi have been designated as new venues for organizing protest/demonstrations.

Heavy security has been deployed at Barakhamba Road from where the INDIA Bloc protest march is slated to begin.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra has said that she'll be marching towards seat of justice to get justice for all Indians.

"We are going to march towards the seat of justice, to get justice for all Indians," she told ANI.

A bus carrying Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the INDIA bloc ready to leave from the Constitution Club of India.

After the government notifcation that Jantar Mantar has been De-notified as a protest site, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said that the whole country will now become Jantar Mantar.

"They have removed Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Yes, it’s no a longer protest site as anyway it was turned into a war zone by the coward dictator. Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega!" he said in his X post.

BJP MP and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has accused the Congress of joining hands with forces that seek to break the nation.

"Congress is joining hands with forces that seek to break the nation," he said.

"Congress is defaming constitutional institutions, spreading anarchy and riots on the streets through falsehoods, and attempting to return to power via the backdoor. When court decisions are unfavorable, Congress attacks the judiciary; when they lose elections, they attack the Election Commission; and when terrorists are dealt with by the army, they target the security forces. Congress is joining hands with forces that seek to break the nation," he added.

P Sandosh Kumar, CPI MP from Keralam, has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him to "Stop the harassment and detention of journalists in Delhi covering the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar."

AAP leader Gopal Rai says, "...A meeting of all Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, councillors, and office-bearers has been convened today. The agenda is to formulate a strategy to further intensify the agitation in the coming days, pressing for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, the cancellation of the FIR, and the conduct of fair elections. This is a people's movement, a movement to save the country, and it will continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigns, the FIR is withdrawn, and a system for fair elections is established..."

-ANI

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke slammed the decision to denotify Jantar Mantar in Delhi as a designated protest site and warned "entire nation will turn into Jantar Mantar."

"They have removed Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Yes, it's no a longer protest site as anyway it was turned into a war zone by the coward dictator. Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega!," Dipke said in a post on X.

"Today, Modi denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Tomorrow, he will denotify democracy itself. The dictator's problem was never the protest site. It was the very idea of people protesting," Dipke said on social media.

Advocates at Delhi High Court lawn read over the preamble of the Constitution of India against the police action and alleged brutality upon lawyers.

Punjab Congress President Pargat Singh said, "Look at the BJP's politics—what is it? It is about dismantling the entire democratic framework. They have already wreaked havoc on it. Two Election Commissioners had already conveyed that 14 decisions were taken without their consent and that the amendment to 'Form 6' was executed in a completely flawed manner—a fact the Supreme Court also clarified by stating there was no directive from them to do so. "

Lawyers make their way to join the protest march led by Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi today.

-The Hindu

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav joins the protests in Delhi.

Around 300 social media posts allegedly aimed at spreading rumours or creating public unrest amid protests in the Capital have been taken down, police sources said on Monday.

Delhi Police is monitoring social media platforms to curb misinformation and has approached X seeking the removal of objectionable and allegedly misleading content linked to the protests, sources said.

The action comes days after police arrested 24-year-old Nadeem Ahmed for allegedly using artificial intelligence tools to create and circulate a fabricated video purporting to show a police officer sexually harassing a woman journalist during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Police said the video falsely portrayed personnel in an objectionable manner. The case is being investigated separately from allegations of sexual harassment against police personnel levelled by women journalists.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said all entry and exit gates across its network are now open. Interchange facilities at all concerned Metro stations are also available, it said in a post on X.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said the INDIA alliance was free to hold peaceful rallies in a democracy but argued that repeatedly organising protests was not the right approach.

“The fact is, the INDIA alliance still has the task of organising marches ahead of them. They aren’t in the habit of working for the country, whereas our work for the nation’s development is ongoing,” he said.

On the CJP protests, Athawale said, “No matter how much you protest, Gyanesh Kumar will not resign.”

“Ye mera mudda nahin hai” (This matter does not pertain to my domain), Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Monday when asked about the protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi over the past few days and the associated restrictions.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and AISA president Neha Bora participate in the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march, demanding action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and calling for his resignation.

Thousands gather in Delhi to join an Opposition leaders’ march from Barakhamba Road to the Supreme Court.

-Indian Express

A petition against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been filed in the Supreme Court by Rahul Gandhi’s legal team on behalf of the petitioners. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Saugata Roy, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav are named as petitioners in the plea.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav joins Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Opposition leaders on the open bus during the ‘Chalo Dilli’ march.

JMM leader Mahua Maji said she was attending the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ march as a representative of her party and Chief Minister Hemant Soren. “We support the INDIA alliance. We want the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar,” she said.

Congress leader Rajendra Pal Gautam said, “This is our fight to save democracy. Gyanesh Kumar is the BJP’s B-team,” during the protest march to the Supreme Court.

Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi alleged that elections had been looted through manipulation of voter lists in Haryana, Assam and Bihar, and claimed preparations were underway to do the same in Punjab.

“People from across the country have come here and brought Delhi to a standstill. We are opposed to SIR and ‘vote theft’,” Channi said during the INDIA bloc’s protest march. He added that people had taken to the streets to ensure their votes were not deleted.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Monday claimed that protests in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had turned into an attack on the nation, alleging that the protests had “foreign connections”.

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Aradhna Misra said the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ march was not about politics but about defending democracy and the Constitution.

She said INDIA bloc allies and members of civil society had joined the movement, adding that everyone who believed in democracy and the Constitution was standing with them. “We have complete faith in our judiciary,” she said.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Anil Rajbhar accused Rahul Gandhi of opposing the country’s development and growth. Commenting on Gandhi’s street protests and remarks on the “cockroach menace”, Rajbhar alleged that the Congress leader heads to Kerala or travels abroad whenever he faces defeat.

Telangana Minister Mohammed Azharuddin said the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns. He alleged that the CEC was expected to work for the Election Commission of India, not any political party, and said the scale of the protest reflected the seriousness of the issue.

Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said the INDIA bloc had united to save democracy and the Constitution during its protest march in Delhi. He said the people of the country would not forget those responsible and added that it was time to hold them accountable.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with other INDIA bloc leaders, arrived at the Supreme Court in Delhi after a petition was filed alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the INDIA bloc leaders would raise concerns over the right to vote and the need to protect every citizen. He demanded that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls be scrapped and fresh elections held in constituencies where candidates won through the exercise.

INDIA bloc leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, Congress MP KC Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, arrived at the Supreme Court in Delhi amid the opposition’s protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with other INDIA bloc leaders, has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging irregularities in the SIR process. The plea impleads Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, alongside the ECI.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, citing concerns over alleged infiltration from Bangladesh and demographic changes in Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.

Referring to a statement he attributed to former Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta in Parliament, Sarma claimed that 30 lakh foreign nationals had been included in Assam’s voter list.

Sarma also criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for joining the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi, questioning her decision to stage protests outside the state. Referring to the BJP’s recent victory in Nagaon, Assam, he said the celebrations indicated that voters had accepted the result.

The Assam chief minister further accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of acting at the behest of foreign powers. He alleged that the party had expressed distrust in institutions such as the Supreme Court, the Election Commission and Parliament.

Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak said the INDIA bloc had filed a Supreme Court petition over alleged SIR irregularities and would continue its legal, political and public campaign until Gyanesh Kumar resigns.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said the INDIA bloc would continue its fight against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on legal, political and moral fronts, adding that the opposition would seek his resignation.

Responding to a question about the reported denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, Khera said citizens had a constitutional right to protest peacefully. He argued that public anger could not be contained by restricting designated protest venues, adding that wherever people gathered to protest could become “Jantar Mantar”.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor demanded the restoration of voter rolls and the reinstatement of names allegedly removed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). He also called for changes to Forms 6 and 7 to be rolled back and the SIR process to be stopped and reviewed by the Supreme Court under its supervision.

Tharoor said the INDIA bloc wanted a free and fair electoral process and a level playing field ahead of the next election. He also criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that his conduct had damaged India's democratic reputation.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja accused the Election Commission of failing to uphold its constitutional mandate under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that millions of voters had been removed from electoral rolls, raising concerns across the country.

Raja said the INDIA bloc was demanding Kumar’s resignation and had filed a petition in the Supreme Court. He said the bloc would await the court’s response.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described the INDIA bloc’s protest march in Delhi as an “amazing day for the defence of democracy”, praising the turnout and public support despite police action during earlier demonstrations.

Tharoor said Rahul Gandhi’s petition had been accepted on the Election Commission of India’s website and expressed hope that the Supreme Court would take it up at the earliest opportunity. He said the INDIA bloc was seeking the restoration of voting rights for citizens whose names had been removed from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato on Monday expressed confidence that the BJP would form a “triple-engine” government in West Bengal, claiming that voters were ready to support the party in upcoming municipal and panchayat elections.

Mahato said he had visited several places and attended meetings where he found support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He also criticised the INDIA bloc, using derogatory labels to target the opposition alliance.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai said the country had been “deeply disappointed” when asked about a now-deleted tweet by the Kerala Congress unit demanding Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s resignation. Rai said he would prefer not to comment at length on the judiciary.

INDIA bloc leaders, including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, were at the Supreme Court in Delhi amid the opposition’s protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Rahul Gandhi, along with other INDIA bloc leaders, has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging irregularities in the SIR process. The plea impleads Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, alongside the ECI.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders have filed a petition in the Supreme Court over alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The petition has also been filed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan said the INDIA bloc’s protest against the government’s policies and alleged Election Commission interference in the electoral process would continue if the Supreme Court failed to address the concerns adequately.

Responding to a question about a now-deleted Kerala Congress post demanding Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s resignation, Sivadasan said he was confident the ongoing struggle would achieve its goal.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the Election Commission must function independently of the political interests of the government and any party, responding to the BJP’s criticism of the Opposition over its alleged silence on Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Tharoor said he had met people who voted for the BJP in recent elections but whose entire families had been removed from voter rolls. He said the issue concerned the constitutional rights of Indian citizens, rather than the interests of any political party.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Majhi expressed concern over the deletion of around 1.3 crore names from voter lists across the country, questioning the fate of those affected.

Speaking during the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi, Majhi said the large-scale deletions had raised serious concerns and claimed the turnout reflected public anxiety over the issue. She alleged that democracy was moving towards autocracy and demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Kerala Minister M Liju said the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi was aimed at protecting democracy, citizens’ rights and constitutional values. He described the agitation as a movement to safeguard these principles and said the Congress was supporting Rahul Gandhi’s campaign.

Liju also urged Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and the judiciary to ensure the protection of constitutional rights, expressing concern over what he described as a failure to uphold these responsibilities.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi criticised the Kerala Congress unit over its now-deleted post demanding Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s resignation, calling the remarks unprecedented in Indian political history.

Trivedi accused the Congress of creating disorder and questioned how a state unit of the party could demand the resignation of the Chief Justice and suggest an alternative arrangement. He also referred to the Congress-led coalition government in Kerala, which includes the Indian Union Muslim League.

Union Minister and JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh, known as Lalan Singh, accused the Congress of targeting constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission, the Chief Election Commissioner and the Supreme Court. He cited the Emergency imposed in 1975 and urged the party to introspect.

Reacting to the INDIA bloc’s petition against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Singh said the Supreme Court would decide the matter on its merits. He questioned the need for the opposition’s protest outside the court, alleging that it was an attempt to discredit constitutional institutions.

Activist Yogendra Yadav said the group had approached the Supreme Court after its attempts to seek permission for protests, question the government and meet the Election Commission failed to yield results.

Yadav said the delegation had come to the court not to protest or exert pressure, but to appeal for the protection of constitutional rights. He urged the Supreme Court to uphold Fundamental Rights and ensure the implementation of its own judgments and orders.

A delegation of Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Akal Takht secretariat, seeking action against Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged entry of Delhi Police personnel into Gurdwara Bangla Sahib during a protest in the national capital.

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has condemned statements circulating on social media seeking the resignation of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, saying such remarks undermine the judiciary and amount to an attempt to interfere with the administration of justice.

The SCBA said every person has the right to approach courts and seek remedies in accordance with the law. It also called upon its members and others to maintain the “dignity and decorum” of the Supreme Court of India.

A petition filed by Rahul Gandhi and 10 other Opposition leaders in the Supreme Court challenges the Election Commission’s decisions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and seeks disclosure of its files, minutes, objections and ECINET and ERONET access logs.

The plea seeks a judicial examination of whether the decisions comply with constitutional provisions and the 2023 law governing the Election Commission. It asks the court to prevent voter deletions without notice and a hearing, publish booth-wise deletion details with reasons, and appoint an independent committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to audit electoral-roll changes. The petition also seeks an interim suspension of the ongoing SIR.

Keralam State Minister P K Kunhalikutty said the protests in Delhi were being held after protesters had endured several hardships, alleging that protests were being suppressed under a “dictatorial rule”.

He urged the entire country to stand with Rahul Gandhi, warning that otherwise, people’s votes would have no value. Kunhalikutty said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had not worked in Keralam because the state remained vigilant.

Questioning the direction of Indian democracy, he said it could not be saved unless Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigned. He added that the protests would continue until then.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday criticised the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi, calling it an “affront to the democratic system” and accusing the Congress of questioning constitutional institutions after electoral defeats.

Speaking in Aizawl, Mizoram, Scindia said India holds elections at every level, from the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies to local bodies, and alleged that casting doubts on the electoral process reflected the Congress’s intent.

He accused the party of invoking the Constitution while its leader, Rahul Gandhi, allegedly disparaged constitutional institutions. Scindia cited the Emergency imposed during Congress rule and accused the party of questioning the judiciary, the Chief Justice of India, the Army and the Election Commission.

ammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday welcomed the INDIA bloc’s protest march in Delhi, saying the Opposition was united in its demand for the protection of citizens’ democratic rights.

In a post on X, Abdullah said, “Great to see tens of thousands march with the INDIA bloc in Delhi today demanding that the democratic rights of citizens are protected. We stand together in this fight.”

BJP MP Dr K Laxman on Monday criticised the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners over their planned protest near the Supreme Court, accusing them of attempting to undermine constitutional institutions.

Speaking in Hyderabad, Laxman said the Constitution clearly defines the powers of the judiciary, legislature and executive, and questioned the Opposition’s demands while the judicial process was underway.

“This is a blatant attack on the judiciary by the Congress party... You want to belittle constitutional bodies. The Constitution has clearly defined the powers of the judiciary, legislature and executive. When this process is under way, there is no sanctity to your demands,” he said.

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Monday criticised the government over its handling of protests by the Congress and civil society activists, describing the alleged suppression of peaceful demonstrations as “extremely unfortunate”.

Speaking in Chandigarh, Tewari welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention and its interim directions, expressing hope that they would prevent further interference with citizens’ right to peaceful protest.

“It is extremely unfortunate that peaceful protests, first by the Indian National Congress and later by civil society activists, were suppressed so brutally by the government. It is good that the Supreme Court has intervened and issued certain interim directions,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam on Monday alleged that the BJP was exerting pressure on Supreme Court judges and questioned whether some verdicts reflected a lack of independence in the judicial process.

Speaking during the INDIA bloc’s protest march in Delhi, Gautam said Opposition leaders and members of the public had gathered to remind judges that their authority came from the Constitution and urged them to deliver justice without fear.

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC on Monday accused the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) of attempting to protect bogus votes through their signature campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Speaking in Mumbai, Shaina described SIR as a “cleansing process” rather than vote theft and alleged that the two parties were using the campaign to safeguard their political interests ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

She also referred to the Supreme Court, saying the matter was sub judice, and accused the opposition parties of raising the issue to blame others in anticipation of an electoral defeat.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Monday accused the Narendra Modi government of conspiring with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to delete voters’ names under the guise of electoral-roll revision.

Reddy alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process was being misused for political gain and that attempts were being made to remove the names of people who already had voting rights.

He also accused the Centre of using agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Income Tax Department and Narcotics Control Bureau to target political opponents.

The Congress has removed the person responsible for a post against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant from the party’s official Keralam account on X, following a backlash on social media.

The post went viral on Monday and drew sharp criticism before being deleted. The party subsequently removed the person responsible from the position, according to reports.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Monday defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying an accurate voter list was essential for a credible democracy.

In a post on X, Sanghavi said the revision was being conducted under the statutory framework and was necessary to ensure that every eligible citizen was included in the electoral rolls, while ineligible entries were removed through due process.

“A credible democracy begins with an accurate electoral roll,” he said.