Showing his support for the protest in Mumbai, Abhijeet Dipke, on his social media platform X, said that Mumbai is out on the streets again for free and fair elections.

He added, “Solidarity with all the protestors. All Indians need to come together. It’s now or never.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged sexual harassment of female journalists by police personnel during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and asked why they don’t take cognisance of it.

Priyanka Gandhi said female journalists have accused police personnel of sexual harassment while reporting at Jantar Mantar.

Despite protests by dozens of journalists, neither was an FIR registered nor was any concrete action taken, she said in a post in Hindi on X.

Addressing the Garjana rally in Mumbai, Raj Thackeray said, “SIR should be completely scrapped in Maharashtra” Mr. Thakare said that Elections should be conducted with ballot papers instead of EVMs.

Mr Thackeray said that two crore voters have been excluded in the State, while 13 crore voters have been excluded in the country. Do you agree with this? Voters were excluded in Tamil Nadu and Bengal. 

“The votes of some of them were held valid. But will these voters be able to vote in the by-elections? This matter is before the Supreme Court,” he added.

-Chinmay Gaikwad

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) boss Raj Thackeray on Sunday led a protest march in Mumbai against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

State leaders of Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) also participated in the march, which began from the Metro Cinema and will traverse the short distance to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in south Mumbai.

- PTI

The Delhi Police have not booked a case after a woman journalist alleged that she was sexually harassed and pushed by a police official while she was reporting on a protest about the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Saturday (October 3, 2026).

Criticising the SIR process, actor and activist Prakash Raj on Saturday (October 3, 2026) said the ‘visarjan’ (immersion) of Ganesha idols as part of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities is over and that the ‘visarjan’ of CEC Gyanesh Kumar remains.

Referring to media reports that 38 lakh appeals from voters (for inclusion) who were removed from the electoral rolls are pending before the tribunals in West Bengal and that it may take 10-12 years to decide them, he asked whether the huge number of applicants should wait that long.

“Ganesh visarjan is over in Karnataka, Andhra and entire India. Now, Gyanesh Kumar visarjan remains,” he told reporters.

PTI

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday (October 3, 2026) mounted a scathing attack on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, asserting that the “wisest thing” the head of the poll body could do is step down immediately following reports of internal objections surrounding the voter roll revision process.

Speaking with ANI, Chidambaram asserted that Gyanesh Kumar’s departure is inevitable as opposition pressure mounts. “I have no doubt that Gyanesh Kumar has to resign someday or the other. It would be good for him to resign early, but if he doesn’t, the protest will continue,” he said, emphasising that the INDIA bloc, along with several civil society groups, will intensify their demonstrations until he steps aside.

ANI

Leaders of the INDIA bloc parties on Saturday (October 3, 2026) announced a joint ‘Save Democracy’ rally in Jammu on October 7, seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Congress headquarters here, senior leaders of the Congress, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said protest marches would also be held in different districts between October 4 and 8.

The leaders, including Pradesh Congress Committee working president Raman Bhalla, Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, NC provincial president Ratan Lal Gupta, PDP General Secretary Rajinder Singh Manhas and National Panthers Party India leader Gagan Pratap Singh, said the protests would highlight the BJP’s “vote chori” and raise concerns over the electoral process.

PTI

”Delhi Police manhandled, assaulted & groped female students & journalists. Why? Not for demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, a tweet by the association read. “Just because Delhi Police treat women as objects to assault with impunity,” the tweet added.