INDIA bloc rally LIVE: ‘Chalo Dilli’ march today; Rahul Gandhi urges protesters to shop local to support traders

INDIA bloc rally LIVE: The Opposition's ‘Chalo Dilli’ march will begin at noon from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction. The march will culminate at Ramlila Maidan, where a mega rally is scheduled from 10am to 5pm.

Key Events

• 4 Mins ago‘If we were in power, this issue would not have arisen,’ says Congress leader Meira Kumar
• 7 Mins agoCongress leader Priyanka Gandhi inspects preparations
• 19 Mins agoWho is expected to attend?
• 25 Mins agoPreparations underway for the Opposition rally

INDIA Bloc Rally LIVE: While INDIA bloc is expecting “nearly one million people” to attend their rally from across the country, the police have planned for about 50,000

INDIA bloc rally LIVE: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has asked participants of the INDIA bloc rally in Delhi to make festival purchases to support local traders, asking them to “protest, march and shop.” INDIA bloc's ‘Chalo Dilli’ march against alleged electoral irregularities and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will begin at noon from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction. The march will culminate at Ramlila Maidan, where a mega rally is scheduled from 10am to 5pm....Read More

The protest comes a day after the Opposition's mock impeachment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, held at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence.

10,000 security personnel deployed; traffic diversions in place

Nearly 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in central Delhi on Sunday. The police say they will facilitate the march, which Gandhi announced on his Instagram. However, while INDIA bloc is expecting “nearly one million people” to attend their rally from across the country, the police have planned for about 50,000, the capacity of the Ramlila Maidan. Police have said any overflow would be held back on the surrounding streets.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory on route diversions and restrictions in parts of Central Delhi. The restrictions will remain in place from 10am to 5pm. The police listed 10 diversion points that include Netaji Subhash Marg T-Point, Rajghat, Delhi Gate and ITO A-Point.

Opposition's ‘impeachment’ of CEC; BJP calls it ‘drama’

Nineteen opposition parties on Saturday enacted the “impeachment” of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, in a mock parliamentary format. The 3.5-hour-long show, attended by more than 250 opposition lawmakers, was held at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence at Rajaji Marg after 4 PM.

In his concluding remarks, Gandhi described that the Opposition had to meet at Kharge’s garden as they have nowhere else to go. Gandhi warned Kumar and said “You have taken this game outside the legal framework, into rigging elections, you are our target.”

Why the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar?

While the Opposition has levelled allegations of “vote chori” and objected to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in states several times in the past, a fresh row erupted against CEC Gyanesh Kumar after an Indian Express report last month.

The report said Election Commissioners had objected to decisions made by the CEC 14 times over a 10-month period. While the poll body maintained that all its decisions were unanimous, the report gave fresh momentum to the Opposition's allegations of “vote chori”, following which protests were called by student organisations, INDIA bloc parties and the Cockroach Janta Party.

Follow all the updates here:

Nov 1, 2026, 08:00:48 IST

INDIA bloc rally LIVE: Speaking on the opposition's allegations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, former Lok Sabha speaker and Congress leader Meira Kumar told ANI news agency, “I stated at the very beginning: if we were in power and I were the Speaker, this issue would not have arisen in the first place...”

She further called for the resignation of the CEC.

Nov 1, 2026, 07:57:39 IST

INDIA bloc rally LIVE: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi inspected preparations for the upcoming INDIA bloc mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, ANI news agency reported.

Meanwhile, ahead of the rally, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on October 31, urged protesters attending the November 1 INDIA bloc mega rally to support Delhi traders on the festive occasion of Diwali.

Nov 1, 2026, 07:46:02 IST

INDIA bloc rally LIVE: The march and the rally are not confined to the INDIA bloc's political constituents. The Opposition has also invited students, youth, women, workers and civil society members to join the demonstration, PTI news agency reported.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations have also extended support to the rally.

Nov 1, 2026, 07:39:22 IST

INDIA bloc rally LIVE: Preparations are underway for INDIA bloc's rally at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, with leaders and supporters from different states beginning to reach the Capital.

A large tricolour canopy has been erected over the main stage, and separate arrangements have been made for representatives of INDIA bloc parties.

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