Gandhi and Priyanka Detained After Hours-Long Anti-CEC Protest

Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained late Tuesday evening following a prolonged protest near the Election Commission office in New Delhi. The protest, which began with a march from Parliament House, was swiftly brought to an end.

As the opposition MPs were being detained, Gandhi spoke to his sister seated inside one of the buses, and both entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises, catching the authorities off guard.

The protest, which was attended by a limited number of opposition parties. This includes the DMK and AAP, was primarily driven by concerns over the Election CommissionIt was handling of key electoral processes.

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The two Election Commissioners had objected to 14 instances of steps taken by the Commission in the past 10 months. This includes instances of keeping officials in the dark and adding new voters. These objections were made on record, highlighting concerns over the Commission's transparency and accountability.

The protest marked the latest in a series of demonstrations aimed at pressuring CEC Gyanesh Kumar to resign in the wake of a report highlighting the Commissioners' objections to the Commission's actions. The protest saw a significant police presence. With Parliament Street being shut down as Gandhi and others attempted to march towards the EC office with their supporters.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had previously faced criticism for his handling of the 2022 Assembly elections. With opposition parties accusing him of interfering in the counting process.

Following hours of tense negotiations, the leaders were released later in the night. The release came after a shutdown of Parliament Street, which had been cordoned off by the authorities. The protest had been marked by limited participation from opposition parties.

With MPs from the BJD joining the march, despite not being part of the INDIA bloc. Opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav, TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, and CPI(M)'s John Brittas were also present during the protest, adding to the pressure on the Election Commission.

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The protest has raised questions over the Election Commission's handling of electoral processes and its accountability to the public. The Commission's actions have been criticized for lacking transparency and failing to address concerns raised by opposition parties. The Indian Express had reported on the Commission's handling of the 2022 elections.

This highlights concerns over the use of EVMs and the lack of voter verification processes.

The incident has sparked renewed calls for the Election Commission to be more transparent and accountable in its decision-making processes. Union Home Minister has been asked to intervene in the matter, with opposition leaders demanding a full investigation into the Commission's actions.