New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, others arrested over protest against controversial electoral rolls

Police in New Delhi on Monday detained Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with several opposition lawmakers as they attempted to march to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to protest against recent changes to Bihar’s voter rolls, Indian media reported on Monday.

The arrests were made during a demonstration against the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls announced in June, which requires all voters in the eastern state to submit proof of citizenship by July 25.

The directive, ahead of state elections in September, has triggered concern among opposition parties over possible large-scale voter disenfranchisement, with residents given only a short window to comply.

Protesters, carrying placards accusing the ECI of “vote theft”, set off from Parliament House, but were stopped by police midway. Some legislators climbed barricades and shouted slogans condemning the commission, according to PTI.

Those detained included DMK’s TR Baalu, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, as well as members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Left parties, and other opposition groups.

Opposition leaders accused the government of trying to disenfranchise voters ahead of the Bihar polls and demanded the reversal of the revision order.

In a post on X following his detention, Gandhi wrote: “The truth of vote theft is now before the country,” pledging to continue the “fight to protect democracy.”

आज जब हम चुनाव आयोग से मिलने जा रहे थे, INDIA गठबंधन के सभी सांसदों को रोका गया और हिरासत में ले लिया गया।

वोट चोरी की सच्चाई अब देश के सामने है।

यह लड़ाई राजनीतिक नहीं - यह लोकतंत्र, संविधान और ‘एक व्यक्ति, एक वोट’ के अधिकार की रक्षा की लड़ाई है।

एकजुट विपक्ष और देश का हर… pic.twitter.com/SutmUirCP8

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 11, 2025

Earlier, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote to the ECI requesting a meeting to discuss the Bihar revision process and similar measures planned for other states. He said such consultations would be “in keeping with the highest traditions of parliamentary democracy,” PTI reported.