- Rahul Gandhi-led protest followed ECI's clarification on meeting.
- ECI denied receiving formal meeting request from INDIA bloc.
- ECI deemed 240-MP meeting at Annexe unusual, unacceptable.
The Election Commission on Tuesday rejected allegations that it had turned down a meeting request from the INDIA bloc, saying it had received no formal request from any political party. The clarification came after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders staged a protest near the ECI office, seeking a meeting with the election commissioners.
Hours after the INDIA bloc MPs marched towards the Election Commission and staged a day-long protest, the poll panel said no political party sought an appointment through its authorised representatives for a meeting with it till 4 pm.
In an official press release, the ECI said it had learnt through media reports that certain political parties specifically, some Members of Parliament (MPs) along with their delegations wanted to meet the Commission.
"Till 4 PM today, no political party, through its representatives, had sought an appointment for a meeting with the Election Commission," it said in a statement.
However, around 4:00 PM, the Delhi Police informed the Commission that a delegation of MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, wished to meet the poll panel to submit a memorandum.
While the Election Commission was considering the meeting proposal from the Members of Parliament after 4 PM today, it was informed by the Delhi Police DCP that the requested meeting was to involve a group of 240 MPs and was proposed to be held at the Parliament House Annexe. The Election Commission deemed this request unusual and unacceptable, as established protocol dictates that such meetings take place within the premises of the Election Commission of India. The ECI proposed sending its most senior executive officer to the meeting venue to receive the memorandum from the MPs—a step that would have been unprecedented in itself. However, this proposal was also rejected by the MPs.: Election Commission of India Any political party may request a meeting with the Election Commission at any time; the Commission, in turn, may schedule the date and time for such a meeting based on convenience. This is a standard procedure: Election Commission of India
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2026
While the Election Commission was considering the proposal, the Delhi Police DCP informed it that the delegation would comprise 240 MPs and that the meeting was proposed to be held at the Parliament House Annexe.
The Election Commission rejected the request, calling it 'unusual and unacceptable', as established protocol requires such meetings to be held within the premises of the Election Commission of India.
The ECI also proposed sending its most senior executive officer to the Parliament House Annexe to receive the memorandum from the MPs. However, the proposal was rejected by the MPs.
The note further says, "Any political party may request a meeting with the Election Commission at any time; the Commission, in turn, may schedule the date and time for such a meeting based on convenience. This is a standard procedure"
Meanwhile, following a high-voltage protest in the national capital, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others were detained by the Delhi Police from Akashvani Bhawan, where they staged a dharna against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
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Rahul Gandhi occupied centre stage during the Opposition’s street protest, bringing Parliament Street to a complete standstill on Tuesday.
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) climbed atop multi-layered steel barricades, stood on them and waved the Tricolour before slipping through police cordons and entering the premises of All India Radio.
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Several Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien, were also among those detained by the police.
The march comes amid the ECI-SIR row, with the Opposition seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following an Indian Express report that claimed irregularities in the SIR process and differences among the Election Commissioners.