CEC row LIVE: SC to examine plea for recall of split verdict on law governing appointment of CEC, ECs

We will not stop till SIR is rolled back, the voter rolls are restored to January 2025 and law to appoint the Election Commissioners is reformed, CJP says

Updated - October 07, 2026 03:10 pm IST

Samajwadi Party protesters stand on the barricades during the INDIA bloc-led protest march from Parliament House to Nirvachan Sadan, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the alleged irregularities in the electoral roll, in New Delhi on October 6, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANI

Security was stepped up outside the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) ahead of the planned arrival of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Saurav Das, who is scheduled to submit an ‘intimation letter’ to the Delhi Police regarding the organisation’s proposed protest pressing for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the revocation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Jantar Mantar on October 10.

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Around 260 people, including 10 MPs, were detained on October 6 during the INDIA bloc protest march from Parliament to Election Commission of India. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K. C. Venugopal and Pawan Khera were among those detained after staging a sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan; all were released later.

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“What has been done to my country is treason,” Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had said even as the Opposition parties closed ranks on Tuesday (October 6, 2026), marching from Parliament to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) headquarters to demand the scrapping of special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, restoring the names of deleted voters and sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

With an Indian Express report detailing how two Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected 14 times in 10 months to decisions taken by the ECI - some of which they said were taken without their knowledge - the actions of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have come under scrutiny with nationwide protests demanding his resignation intensifying last week.

Key developments in the ECI row: A timeline

Protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar intensified over the last week, with several detained, and complaints of sexual harassment against ACP Vivek Bhagat in Delhi. With the Supreme Court issuing a notice to the ECI and the Centre, here are the developments in the furore against the Election Commission.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory in view of the proposed protest at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in the national capital on October 7, 2026. The demonstration is being held by parties comprising of the INDIA bloc.

Delhi Oct 7 INDIA bloc protests: Traffic restrictions, advisories, and routes to avoid

Delhi October 7 protests: Check traffic restrictions, routes to avoid amid INDIA bloc demonstration

Aam Aadmi Party workers staging protest for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar outside Chief Electoral Officer Delhi Office at Kashmiri Gate in New Delhi.

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Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das slammed the concept of having to take permission from the government to protest against the government.

Calling it a ‘strange concept’, Mr. Das reiterated the citizens’ right to protest peacefully.

“We have a right to protest peacefully. We have designated sites to protest. We will exercise that right, no matter what,” Mr. Das told mediapersons.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 7) agreed to examine a plea seeking recall of its recent split verdict on whether challenges to the 2023 law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be referred to a larger Constitution Bench.

On Wednesday, a Bench comprising the Chief Justice of India and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was told about the recall application by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan.

“We will examine and take a call,” the CJI said.

Mr. Sankaranarayanan told the Bench that the recall application had earlier been mentioned before a Bench headed by Justice Datta, but the matter had subsequently been released from that bench and he was asked to mention it before the CJI.

“We will not stop with the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. We will also ensure that people who take illegal decisions are arrested and prosecuted,” says CJP Co-convenor Saurav Das.