INDIA Bloc's 'Chalo Delhi' Rally Today: Posters, Security Up at Ramlila Maidan
Preparations were in full swing at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday (November 1, 2026) as leaders and supporters of the INDIA bloc arrived in the national capital for a mega rally, which the opposition alliance has described as a show of strength against alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
Posters announcing the bloc's 'Chalo Delhi' march were put up outside the venue, and security personnel were deployed in and around Ramlila Maidan ahead of the event. The Students' Federation of India (SFI) also posted about the rally on social media, saying preparations were under way.
The rally is expected to press the alliance's demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Leaders from several states were reaching Delhi through the day to take part.
Symbolic 'public impeachment'
On Saturday (October 31), the bloc held what it described as a symbolic "public impeachment" of the Chief Election Commissioner. A motion was adopted unanimously by a show of hands at the gathering.
According to the alliance, six charges have been levelled against the CEC. These include an allegation that he conspired with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to "steal" elections, that 13.2 crore voters were deleted from electoral rolls through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, and that he acted at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
These are allegations made by the opposition bloc. The report on the proceedings did not include any response from the Election Commission or from the BJP, and the charges have not been independently verified.
What the law says
Under the Constitution and the relevant statute, the Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only in the manner and on the grounds provided for the removal of a judge of the Supreme Court. The process requires a motion supported by a special majority in both Houses of Parliament, on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. A vote by show of hands at a public meeting has no legal bearing on the tenure of the CEC; the weekend exercise is therefore political and symbolic in nature.
The SIR of electoral rolls has been a contested subject, with opposition parties alleging that genuine voters were struck off, and the Election Commission maintaining that the exercise was carried out to clean up the rolls. The commission has previously stated that deletions follow due process and that affected persons have opportunities to file claims and objections.
What to watch
The Ramlila Maidan rally is being watched as an indicator of coordination within the INDIA bloc, which brings together parties with differing regional priorities. Attendance, the presence of senior leaders from constituent parties, and the alliance's stated next steps on the poll body are likely to shape the political narrative in the coming weeks.
Delhi Police have made traffic and security arrangements in the area around Ramlila Maidan for the duration of the event. Commuters have been advised to check route diversions before travelling through central Delhi.
