Police in New Delhi detained Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several opposition lawmakers Monday as they marched toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters to protest a controversial revision of Bihar’s electoral roll. The measure, which requires all prospective voters to provide proof of citizenship by July 25, has triggered widespread fears of disenfranchisement, particularly among minorities, ahead of the state’s upcoming elections.
According to the Press Trust of India, police stopped the march midway, erecting barricades to block protesters. Some MPs climbed the barricades and chanted slogans accusing the ECI of facilitating “vote theft,” while holding placards demanding a fair voter list.
On social media, Gandhi denounced the voter roll changes as a threat to democracy, saying, “This fight is not political — it is a fight to protect democracy, the constitution, and the right to ‘one person, one vote’.” He called for a clean and transparent electoral process, echoing the united opposition’s demands.
Other prominent figures detained included Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, T.R. Baalu of the DMK, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and Derek O’Brien of the Trinamool Congress, alongside lawmakers from the Rashtriya Janata Dal and other parties.
Opposition leaders have repeatedly argued that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar is designed to suppress votes and have urged its cancellation. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh had earlier written to the ECI requesting discussions on the issue and warning against similar roll revisions in other states, stressing that such consultations are essential to uphold the traditions of India’s parliamentary democracy.