Anti-CEC stir: Police grant permission for Congress Nov 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Imran Pratapgarhi and Deepender Singh Hooda, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and others INDIA bloc leaders proceed in a bus towards the Supreme Court to file a petition against SIR of electoral rolls and poll irregularities during 'March for Democracy', in New Delhi. (Source: PTI)

In a shot in the arm for the largest opposition party as well as the INDIA bloc, the Delhi Police on Saturday granted permission to the Congress for a mega rally to protest against the alleged irregularities in the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls at Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

This comes amid the Congress, led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other significant opposition figures, taking to the streets alongside civil society representatives to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar (CEC).

Part of the larger “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” announced by the opposition bloc earlier this month, the event is expected to be a display of opposition unity in the face of an equally combative BJP-led NDA government which has dubbed the street protests exercises as “anarchy” in a bid to force a “regime change” in the country “without contesting elections”.

“The Indian National Congress (INC) has planned a Rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, 2026 and had approached the Delhi Police for the requisite No Objection Certificate (NOC). The NOC for holding the rally at the designated protest site has been issued for the period from October 25 to November 3, 2026,” the Delhi Police said in a statement.

“The Delhi Police is in constant coordination with the organisers, Traffic Police and other concerned agencies to ensure appropriate law-and-order arrangements, effective traffic management and the smooth conduct of the proposed rally,” it added.

The development comes days after the Delhi Police on October 12 denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and identified three alternative venues – Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground – for protest gatherings in the Capital.

Earlier this month, the Congress had announced a countrywide agitation intended to percolate down to the ground against the SIR exercise and the CEC, revolving around outreach to those among the over 13 crore citizens whose names were struck off their respective electoral rolls.

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Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had announced that from October 10 to October 20, the party would carry out marches and public meetings as part of the campaign. Ramesh added that the drive will extend to district as well as village Chaupal levels to help contact those whose names had been struck off from the voter rolls and re-enroll them.

Following this, he added, a “mega INDIA bloc” rally would be held on November 1 where all opposition parties’ leaders too have been invited.

Further, Ramesh added that from November 25-26 onwards, six yatras from locations near the Capital would reach the city as part of ‘Chalo Delhi’ program.