Rahul Gandhi says 300 MPs wanted meeting, EC says no appointment sought till 4 pm

Under a procedure introduced in 2025, political parties must seek an appointment through a duly authorised representative. Meetings are held at a mutually agreed time, it said, adding that all parties had been informed of the procedure.

In Short

• Election Commission said no party sought appointment till 4 pm
• EC declined Parliament House venue, offered to receive memorandum
• Opposition MPs staged 8-hour sit-in before police detained them

The Election Commission on Tuesday said no political party had sought an appointment through its authorised representatives till 4 pm, after Rahul Gandhi accused it of refusing to meet Opposition MPs.

Gandhi said 300 MPs from both Houses wanted to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the other two Election Commissioners to ask questions about elections in Bengal, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Commission said Delhi Police informed it around 4 pm that a delegation led by Gandhi wanted to submit a memorandum. Police later conveyed that the request was for a meeting with 240 MPs at the Parliament House Annexe.

The panel declined the proposed venue, saying its protocol requires such meetings to be held at its premises. It said the MPs also declined its offer to send its senior-most serving officer to receive the memorandum.

The Commission said it learnt of the MPs’ intention to meet it through media reports during the march.

Under a procedure introduced in 2025, political parties must seek an appointment through a duly authorised representative. Meetings are held at a mutually agreed time, it said, adding that all parties had been informed of the procedure.

CONGRESS LEADERS RELEASED AFTER DETENTION

Police stopped the Opposition’s march towards the Commission’s headquarters. Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders then entered Akashvani Bhawan, where they staged a sit-in lasting more than eight hours.

Speaking from the premises, Gandhi said millions had voted for Opposition MPs and questioned why the Commission would not answer them.

“If they hadn’t stolen votes, they would have been ready to meet us in a minute,” he alleged, demanding Kumar’s removal.

Police later removed and detained the Congress leaders, taking them to Kingsway Camp police lines. They were released shortly after 10 pm, the Congress said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien were also detained after police stopped the march.

The protest followed calls for Kumar’s resignation after a September 25 Indian Express report raised questions about the Special Intensive Revision process and reported differences among the Election Commissioners.

- Ends