New Delhi: Opposition leaders belonging to the INDIA bloc organized a protest march from Raisina Road toward the Supreme Court to voice serious concerns regarding the transparency and overall functioning of the Election Commission of India. Prominent political figures, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, participated in the demonstration alongside party workers who carried the national tricolor and copies of the Constitution instead of traditional party flags.
Authorities deployed heavy contingents of the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force across the area, implementing Section 163 restrictions to manage the large gathering. As the protest convoy advanced toward Barakhamba Road and Feroz Shah Road, demonstrators confronted and ultimately breached the first security barricade placed near the Le Meridien Hotel.
In response to the demonstrations, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party strongly defended the election watchdog and criticized the opposition's approach. A BJP representative addressed reporters in a press briefing, arguing that the primary cause of Congress party electoral defeats lies in its own visionless leadership and disconnect from national values rather than any shortcomings of the Election Commission.
The briefing also pointed to ongoing internal leadership disputes across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, and Telangana. The ruling party speaker noted that decades out of power in major states like West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh have reduced Congress to a junior partner dependent on regional allies such as the DMK, RJD, SP, JMM, and National Conference. Furthermore, the ruling party emphasized that established constitutional mechanisms and rules must be respected rather than generating unrest through street protests and communications directed at judicial authorities.