Delhi protest LIVE: Rahul Gandhi leads march to SC; Left, Neha Bora join

The Opposition’s planned march to the Supreme Court on Monday, 12 October has run into a fresh hurdle with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant declining a request by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for a meeting on the same day.

The CJI turned down the request on Sunday, with sources citing the fact that the issues likely to be raised were already sub judice before the Supreme Court. They also said the court could not intervene, through its administrative side, in matters concerning governance and the functioning of the state.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced that entry and exit at six Metro stations will remain closed from 6.00 am-4.00 pm on Monday, ahead of the Opposition march.

The developments come amid mounting tensions over the Opposition’s campaign against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with protests and demands for his resignation continuing in different parts of the country.

In Mumbai, police detained several people who gathered near Shivaji Park in Dadar to protest against Kumar and demand his resignation. Protesters alleged that police personnel had been deployed at multiple entry points around the park and that several people were detained before they could join the demonstration.

The Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah over the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, alleging that democracy no longer mattered to them and that it was all a matter of “demokursi”.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh claimed it was a definite sign of 'extreme panic' gripping the PM-HM duo that the historic Jantar Mantar will no longer be a place where democracy is given a daily booster dose.

'The poisonous pair is embattled, and we have seen in the past few days how brutally they have dealt with peaceful public protests,' he said on X. 'Democracy no longer matters for them. It is all a matter of Demokursi.'

Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Dharmendra Yadav and other Congress leaders along with activist Yogendra Yadav and AISA president Neha Bora arrive at Barakhamba Road starting point together.

The Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid the raging controversy over the SIR of electoral rolls. The resolution, perhaps the first such in the country, was moved by chief minister V.D. Satheesan.

'The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. No institution can be allowed to undermine the constitutional rights of our citizens. Our stand is unequivocal. The right to vote must be protected. The Constitution must be upheld. Democracy must prevail. Keralam stands firmly for free and fair elections,' Satheesan said later in an X post.

'Keralam makes history. For the first time, the Keralam Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner. The integrity of our electoral process is non-negotiable,' he added.

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday slammed the decision to denotify Jantar Mantar in Delhi as a designated protest site and warned 'ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega (entire nation will turn into Jantar Mantar)'.

A standing order issued on 11 October by Delhi Police commissioner Anurag Kumar named Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi as the new designated sites for protests and demonstrations.

'They have removed Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Yes, it's no a longer protest site as anyway it was turned into a war zone by the coward dictator. Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega!' Dipke said in a post on X.

In another post, Dipke said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could 'denotify democracy' next. 'Today, Modi denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Tomorrow, he will denotify democracy itself. The dictator's problem was never the protest site. It was the very idea of people protesting.'

Opposition MPs of the INDIA bloc converged at the Constitution Club and were headed towards Barakhamba Road junction to start their march to the Supreme Court.

The Opposition leaders are set to start their 'March for Democracy' from Barakhamba Road to the Supreme Court, after which they will file a petition before the court against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to stop "vote chori (theft)".

Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Dharmendra Yadav and other Congress leaders along with Yogendra Yadav and Neha Bora arrive in the same bus.

Addressing a press conference at Indira Bhawan ahead of the march, Gandhi said the Opposition would continue its campaign against electoral irregularities. He reported his suggestion to Gyanesh Kumar to resign and turn approver, claiming that more powerful figures were behind the wrongdoing. “Resign, turn approver; you have made a mistake but you are not the mind behind the mistake,” Gandhi advised the chief election commissioner.

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