Opposition ups ante against Gyanesh Kumar over SIR row, surrounds EC office

UPDATED: Oct 6, 2026 21:59 ISTCongress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a dharna at Akashwani Bhavan in New Delhi, demanding an immediate meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll manipulation. Election Commission sources stated no formal meeting request had been submitted through established procedures, while DMK accused Congress of selective outrage concerning Special Intensive Revision voter deletions in Tamil Nadu. The dispute expanded across southern states, with ruling Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana alleging large-scale abuse of Form 7 applications to delete legitimate voters. In Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of printing fraudulent forms to target minority voters, while Leader of Opposition R Ashok petitioned the Governor, alleging state police intimidation against opposition workers flagging discrepancies. In Telangana, Congress and AIMIM claimed targeted bulk submissions occurred in constituencies such as Musheerabad and Goshamahal, while BJP spokesperson NV Subhash defended scrutinising electoral rolls to identify bogus entries. In a separate national development, the central government named Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dikshit as the next Chief of the Air Staff, set to succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on 31 October. Meanwhile, brisk voter turnout was registered across key Assembly by-elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Read MoreVIDEOS FROM OTHER SECTIONSLATEST VIDEOSPawan Khera: 'Each One of Us Was Manhandled' During Delhi ProtestSpeaking live from a Delhi Police bus following his detention, Congress leader Pawan Khera shared details of the INDIA alliance protest at Akashvani Bhawan. Khera asserted that opposition parties had publicly announced their meeting request, dismissing claims by the Election Commission. Demanding the removal of the poll body chief, he declared, 'Gyanesh Gupta has to go.' He stated that despite assurances that a meeting would be arranged, police suddenly swooped down on the demonstrators who had prepared to spend the night. Detailing physical mistreatment, Khera affirmed, 'Each one of us was manhandled,' adding that multiple leaders sustained injuries while being transported to an unknown location.Statecraft With Geeta Mohan: Saudi Arabia Activates Mecca Pact: Can Pakistan Be Trusted To Fight?Saudi Arabia has activated the Mecca (Makkah) Joint Defence Agreement with Türkiye and Pakistan — turning a recently signed pact into an operational security framework at a critical moment for the Middle East. The move comes amid escalating Houthi attacks, intensifying fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and a reported strike on power infrastructure in Medina that temporarily disrupted supplies serving the outer perimeter of the Prophet’s Mosque.Mahua Moitra: 'It's high time everyone got on the streets'Speaking from a police bus following her detention, Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra stated that opposition MPs were brutally manhandled and bundled into buses by Delhi Police while attempting to meet the Chief Election Commissioner. Moitra noted that a delegation of 278 elected Members of Parliament sought a formal meeting with Election Commissioner Ganesh Kumar, rejecting back-channel negotiations for only a small group to enter. Pointing out physical injuries sustained by female parliamentarians, Moitra called on citizens to mobilize, asserting, 'It's high time everyone got on the streets.' She emphasized that the opposition alliance will persistently continue its public protest until Ganesh Kumar resigns from his post.Delhi Police Detains Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and INDIA Bloc Leaders After 9-Hour DharnaHigh drama unfolded in the national capital as Delhi Police physically detained Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several other opposition leaders after a nine-hour sit-in protest at Akashwani Bhavan on Sansad Marg. The protesters, who were demanding a direct meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of electoral malpractice, formed human cordons before being removed and boarded onto police buses. While Congress leaders insisted on continuing their demonstration until granted an audience, sources within the Election Commission stated that no formal request had been submitted for a meeting. Leaders from the INDIA alliance, including Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien, joined the agitation before police took action to clear the government premises after evening hours.