ECI Rejects Meeting Request of Rahul Gandhi-Led 240 MPs, Cites Protocol; Opposition Protests Over SIR
New Delhi, 7th October 2026: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday rejected a request for a meeting with a delegation of around 240 MPs led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament House Annexe, saying the proposed meeting did not follow its established protocol. The clarification came after a day of high-voltage protests by INDIA bloc leaders against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The ECI said that until 4 pm on Tuesday, no political party had formally sought an appointment with the Commission through its authorised representatives. Around 4 pm, however, Delhi Police informed the poll panel that a delegation of MPs led by Rahul Gandhi wanted to meet the Commission and submit a memorandum.
According to the Commission, the Delhi Police later informed it that the delegation comprised 240 MPs and wanted the meeting to take place at the Parliament House Annexe. The ECI termed the request unusual and said its established protocol requires meetings with political parties to be held at the Commission’s premises.
The Commission said it had introduced a procedure for meetings with political parties in 2025, under which a party or a joint delegation must seek an appointment through its duly authorised representative. The meeting is subsequently scheduled at a mutually agreed date and time.
The ECI also offered to send its senior-most officer on duty to the Parliament House Annexe to receive the memorandum from the MPs. The Commission described this as an unprecedented step but said the offer was declined by the MPs.
Opposition’s Protest Against ECI
The ECI’s statement followed a major protest by INDIA bloc MPs in New Delhi. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others, marched towards the Election Commission headquarters, demanding action over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police stopped the march, following which several opposition leaders staged a sit-in.
The protest is linked to the Opposition’s continuing objections to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have alleged that the revision could result in legitimate voters being excluded from electoral rolls, while the Election Commission has defended the exercise as an effort to clean up electoral rolls and remove duplicate, deceased or otherwise ineligible entries.
Background: Maharashtra SIR Row
The Opposition’s campaign against the ECI has intensified in recent months. In September, Rahul Gandhi criticised the Commission after draft electoral rolls in Maharashtra showed 2.07 crore names marked for deletion out of around 9.78 crore electors. The ECI, however, clarified that the figure should not be interpreted as the final number of voters to be deleted from the rolls.
Against this backdrop, Tuesday’s march to the ECI headquarters marked another escalation in the confrontation between the Opposition and the poll panel.
The ECI, meanwhile, reiterated that it respects parliamentary and democratic processes and said political parties can request meetings with the Commission at any time, provided they follow the established procedure.
