India news Live Updates, 8 October 2026: Rahul Gandhi and Co. en route Delhi’s Rajghat for Day 3 of EC showdown

Delhi Police also deployed additional personnel in Connaught Place and other areas as the Opposition prepared to march.

08 Oct 2026, 03:30 by Sakshi Chand, Asad Rehman · The Indian Express · Join

"For the past two days, we have not been allowed to protest,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, referring to the police action against the protesting MPs.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and opposition lawmakers from the Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc are en route to Rajghat in Delhi – to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial – for day 3, round 3 of protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and to demand he resign from the Election Commission over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision.

“For the past two days, we have not been allowed to protest,” Gandhi told reporters outside Moets, a restaurant in Delhi’s Connaught Place and where Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge hosted INDIA MPs to lunch. The MPs then boarded buses to take them to Rajghat. Rahul Gandhi was referring to police action against the MPs on Tuesday and Wednesday, when Delhi Police stopped them from protesting at the EC office and Jantar Mantar.

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The build-up to day 3 of the opposition’s anti-CEC protests was similar to day 2. Kharge yesterday too had hosted MPs to lunch – at Sagar Ratna on Janpath, 1.2 km from Jantar Mantar. And, as they have today, the INDIA bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, boarded three buses to head to the protest site.

Security has been tightened across central Delhi – and specifically at Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission’s office – ahead of another round of protests from Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and the opposition INDIA bloc MPs. Delhi Police also deployed additional personnel in Connaught Place.

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Live Updates
Oct 8, 2026 04:43 PM IST
Security deployment outside Raj Ghat

Visuals of heavy security deployment outside Raj Ghat as INDIA bloc MPs are on their way to hold a sit-in protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Oct 8, 2026 04:21 PM IST
In pictures: Opposition MPs march

Opposition MPs march during the protest over alleged vote theft.

(Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

Oct 8, 2026 04:09 PM IST
INDIA Bloc MPs leave for Gandhi Smarak

INDIA bloc MPs board a bus and leave for Gandhi Smarak after attending a lunch hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Oct 8, 2026 04:08 PM IST
Heavy security at Rajghat

Heavy security deployed at Raj Ghat as INDIA bloc leaders head towards Gandhi Smarak to stage a protest.

Oct 8, 2026 03:52 PM IST
'Our right to vote is being taken away': Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We wish to highlight that the freedom secured by our freedom fighters is being snatched, and our right to vote is being taken away."

(PTI)

Oct 8, 2026 03:45 PM IST
Will pray at Gandhi Smarak for wisdom to BJP govt, Modi, Shah: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he would pray at Gandhi Smarak for wisdom for the BJP government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, so that they realise that their actions are not in the national interest.

(PTI)

Oct 8, 2026 03:44 PM IST
Former judges raise alarm over attempts to undermine election commission

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(PTI)

Oct 8, 2026 03:41 PM IST
Opposition leaders, MPs head towards Rajghat; around 300 gather at memorial

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Oct 8, 2026 03:38 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi says Opposition will ensure ‘These 4 people are brought to justice’

After attending the lunch hosted by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at a Connaught Place restaurant, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said, "Around 300 MPs, from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, want to do a peaceful protest, we were not allowed for two days, on first day, we were stopped in front of Election Commission, then we said we want to do a protest at Jantar Mantar, you saw we were stopped, our people were beaten, the reality is that Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Gyanesh Kumar, Mohan Bhagwat, by doing a criminal conspiracy, hijacked Hindustan, destroyed the constitution, have done vote theft, we, the opposition are saying that action will be taken. They will be brought to justice, this is our guarantee, you will see that these four people are brought to justice."

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Oct 8, 2026 03:36 PM IST
INDIA Bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, to head to Rajghat in three buses

INDIA bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, will head to Rajghat in three buses parked outside Moets restaurant in Connaught Place.

Oct 8, 2026 03:18 PM IST
Delhi police crime branch to probe roles of 2,800 persons in July 20 protest violence

The Delhi Police Crime Branch will probe the role of more than 2,800 people with criminal backgrounds who were identified during the violence that broke out during the CJP protest on July 20, officials said. The Crime Branch has registered a fresh FIR in connection with the “Chalo Sansad” march and will investigate the roles of those identified, including whether they were part of the protesting mob, their criminal antecedents and their association, if any, with the student outfits that participated in the protest. Police will also examine whether any of them were involved in leading the violent mob, which resulted in injuries to more than 200 police personnel and several protesters, officials said.

Sakshi Chand reports from Delhi.

Oct 8, 2026 02:31 PM IST
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Oct 8, 2026 02:08 PM IST
Sikkim to hold special voter enrolment camps on October 11

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Oct 8, 2026 01:55 PM IST
Delhi HC to hear plea for Jantar Mantar protest site on Friday

Oct 8, 2026 01:54 PM IST
BJP accuses Congress of trying to create ‘Nepal, Bangladesh-like anarchy’

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Oct 8, 2026 12:53 PM IST
Security tightened at Rajghat, BJP office ahead of INDIA bloc protest

Sakshi Chand reports that security has been tightened at Rajghat after the Congress announced plans to hold a protest at the memorial. Delhi Police has imposed Section 163 of the BNSS in the area. Security has also been increased outside the BJP headquarters amid opposition demanding resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

◆ Opposition's CEC Protest ◆
What happened on Day 2? ‘Won’t stop till Gyanesh Kumar quits', Rahul Gandhi said after cops detain him twice in 2 daysOpposition MPs were travelling to Jantar Mantar in buses - after lunch at a restaurant on Janpath - on Day 2 of an intense escalation in anti-CEC protests.Read the full story →
And on Day 1? INDIA bloc's anti-CEC march was over. Then, Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi did this Congress leaders credited the Gandhi siblings with 'out-of-the-box' thinking to derail the police plan to end the protest.Read the full story →
But some INDIA allies were not happy with Gandhis’ ‘impromptu’ protestSources said some Congress allies - including the Samajwadi Party - felt what was a joint protest by the opposition had become the 'Rahul Gandhi show'.Read the full story →
Gyanesh Kumar’s security increased as INDIA bloc protestsThe Chief Election Commissioner already enjoys Z-plus security cover, but now. more police personnel have been deployed outside his home.Read the full story →
Why the protests? 14 times in 10 months, two Election Commissioners objected - on record - to decisions taken by CEC Kumar From keeping them in the dark to adding new voters, deleting names, ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi flagged "unauthorised, illegal" moves.Read the full story →
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INDIA bloc MPs to meet for lunch at Connaught Place’s Moets

Sources in the INDIA bloc told The Indian Express that MPs from the alliance will meet for lunch at Moets restaurant in Connaught Place, a day after a lunch gathering turned into a street protest. Those expected to attend include TMC’s Derek O’Brien and Mahua Moitra, CPI(M)’s John Brittas, IUML’s ET Mohammed Basheer, CPI’s P Sandosh Kumar, and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge.

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Kesavan questioned whether such conduct was appropriate for an MP and Leader of Opposition, accusing Gandhi of sending the “wrong message” to women and Nari Shakti.

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Oct 8, 2026 12:15 PM IST
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Oct 8, 2026 10:37 AM IST
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge invites opposition MPs for today

A day after a lunch turned into a full fledged street protest, sources in the INDIA bloc have told The Indian Express that a lunch will be held at Moets restaurant in Connaught Place where INDIA bloc MPs will be in participation.

Oct 8, 2026 10:12 AM IST
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Oct 8, 2026 09:45 AM IST
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Oct 8, 2026 09:17 AM IST
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Oct 8, 2026 09:13 AM IST
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