The Supreme Court of India has raised concerns regarding the conduct of Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc during a protest march held on October 12. The bench scrutinized the commotion that occurred when demonstrators moved toward the court complex. According to the court, crowds forced their way into the premises even though the Chief Justice of India had already declined a requested meeting. In response to the incident, the Delhi Police registered a first information report at the Tilak Marg police station, and the judiciary indicated that accountability must be addressed regarding the surrounding actions.
During the same proceedings, the bench handled a series of legal challenges, deciding to separate matters concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls from petitions focused on the protests and police actions. The Solicitor General helped identify specific related items on the docket, allowing the court to streamline its review of the complex litigation.
The broader legal challenge involves a joint petition filed by Rahul Gandhi alongside twelve other INDIA bloc leaders, as well as a separate plea submitted by AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi. These petitions target decisions implemented by the Election Commission of India. Specifically, the opposition leaders are pressing for complete transparency regarding poll panel records, demanding the disclosure of meeting minutes and any recorded objections from Election Commissioners.
Furthermore, the petitioners are seeking an interim suspension of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise across various states, an independent audit of the ECINET and ERONET digital portals overseen by a former Supreme Court judge, and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Alongside these electoral matters, the court is reviewing twenty-six additional petitions. These filings address related controversies, including citizen detentions, police behavior, roadway blockades, and the official denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest siteβa policy shift that is also facing a separate challenge in the Delhi High Court.