NEW DELHI: Waving giant India flags and chanting “vote thief”, thousands of protesters poured onto the streets of New Delhi on Monday to demand the resignation of the country’s election chief.
The protest march, led by Rahul Gandhi of the opposition Congress party, is the latest in a series of rallies in the capital over a large-scale voter roll revision that critics say could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
India shouts in one voice: Vote chor, gaddi chod! https://t.co/YA1TKm4JtJ
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) October 12, 2026
Opposition parties and supporters of the “cockroach” youth movement have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“This is bigger than anything,” said protester Anjali, 21, her voice competing with drums, whistles and slogans echoing down a packed stretch of road leading to the Supreme Court.
“It is a fight to save the very fabric of the country. It is the duty of every citizen to raise their voice and protest till he (Kumar) resigns.”
India is rising
Vote chor Gaddi chhod https://t.co/samU9IUzHO
— Siyasi Billa (@Siyasibilla) October 12, 2026
The sea of demonstrators marked a dramatic reversal from the weekend, when authorities detained thousands, including journalists, and placed much of the capital under a virtual lockdown to thwart any major rally.
The government has come under fire for its high-handed response to the protests over the weekend. Most of those detained have been released.
Police have not commented on the detentions.
On Monday, police largely stood by as the crowd surged through central Delhi in a colourful procession with flags and banners fluttering above.
Everyone must say together – “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chodh”!🔥💪🏼 https://t.co/IRvo5z46N2
— Rofl Gandhi2.0 (@GandhiRefl) October 12, 2026
The call to protest came from Gandhi, who urged everyone who “believes in democracy” to join the march regardless of political affiliation.
Gandhi travelled briefly in an open bus through the crowd, waving a copy of India’s constitution.
Some protesters carried oversized replicas of the constitution’s cover, while others climbed atop parked buses meant to ferry detainees.
Along the route, office workers crowded balconies and peered through windows from buildings lining the avenue.
The revision of voter rolls resulted in more than 133 million names being removed from electoral lists, according to media reports.
Critics say the measure has disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims.
Protester Abhay Aryan, 28, said he was happy to be able to join the rally on Monday, two days after he was briefly detained by authorities.
