The protests had begun on October 10, with opposition leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi mobilizing thousands in Delhi. The demonstrators demanded the dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after questions over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Piyush Goyal, on October 12, called the street actions "anarchy".
The SIR, which aims to add 1.8 million voters to the roll, was upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2026 as constitutionally valid. Yet several EC members wrote 14 letters expressing reservations, sparking the current dispute.
Goyal quoted Ambedkar: "When constitutional methods are available, abandoning them is the grammar of anarchy." He added that refusing lawful avenues signals an anarchist stance.
Police detained Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi multiple times, and youth group leaders from the Cockroach Janata Party were seized aboard a flight heading to Delhi. Metro stations closed, roads barricaded, and a citywide shutdown nearly halted the capital.
Supreme Court is reviewing the Form 6 petition filed by the EC, assessing whether it meets procedural norms. If corrections are needed, the court will direct the government to act.
Government plans to obtain a court order to suspend further street protests, while the Supreme Court may impose corrective directives on the EC.