Opposition and media groups allege police brutality in New Delhi as Rahul Gandhi leads Supreme Court march

Tensions escalated across the Indian capital on Monday, October 12, as opposition leaders, civil society groups, and media organizations accused police of physical assault and heavy-handed tactics during weekend demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

What allegations of police misconduct have been raised by lawmakers and journalists?

Concerns over law enforcement conduct intensified following Sunday's demonstrations, during which thousands of protesters, lawmakers, and media personnel were intercepted by security forces. Communist Party of India (Marxist) Member of Parliament John Brittas alleged that police officers manhandled, dragged, and physically assaulted him inside a security vehicle before abandoning him along a roadside.

Brittas, who sought medical evaluation at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, addressed formal letters to President Droupadi Murmu, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India demanding accountability and a parliamentary privilege investigation, characterizing the incident as a direct assault on democratic freedoms.

Press freedom advocate Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement confirming that at least 16 journalists were detained while covering the rallies, despite prominently displaying official press identification cards.

While law enforcement officials suggested reporters were caught in detention sweeps due to proximity to uncooperative demonstrators, media groups condemned the detentions as an infringement on constitutional reporting rights, noting that the Supreme Court of India recorded explicit assurances that media personnel performing public duties should not face police obstruction.

How is the capital preparing for Rahul Gandhi's planned march to the Supreme Court?

Central New Delhi remained under a heavy security lockdown for a third consecutive day on Monday as Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi called on opposition parties, student groups, and civil society organizations to participate in a peaceful march to the Supreme Court. Authorities deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel, erected multi-layered metal barricades across avenues leading to central government hubs, and suspended operations at six key Delhi Metro stations to manage crowd movement.

The persistent mobilization stems from widespread opposition grievances over the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision drive, which resulted in the removal of more than 133 million entries from national voter rolls.

Opposition leaders and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organizers maintain that the revision disproportionately disenfranchised minority communities ahead of critical state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, while the Election Commission continues to affirm that the exercise was conducted legally to clean duplicate and deceased voter records.

According to reporting by The Hindu, The Guardian, and India Today, CJP leadership and opposition alliances have pledged to sustain nationwide demonstrations until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar tenders his resignation.