SC Issues Notice To ECI, CEC Gyanesh Kumar On Rahul Gandhi's Plea Also Pulls Up Rahul For March To Court

NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court on Thursday Oct 15 issued notice to the Election Commission of India, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu & Vivek Joshi on petitions filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and 10 other INDIA bloc leaders challenging Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and alleged large-scale voter deletions.

What Court Said:

"We are issuing notice and tagging it with matters already pending. Somebody will accept notice on behalf of ECI. Otherwise serve them."Bench of CJI Surya Kant & Justice Joymalya Bagchi

"Issuing notice does NOT mean we are condemning anything" CJI

Court sought responses, tagged plea with similar SIR pleas from Bihar, Bengal, Tamil Nadu etc. already pending.

Plea seeks disclosure of original files, minutes, notings, objections by ECs Sandhu & Joshi (alleged 14 unilateral decisions between Oct 2025-Aug 2026), ECINET & ERONET access logs

Strong Remark On March:

 Court also issued notice to Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and others on a separate plea challenging their Oct 12 "Chalo Delhi  March for Democracy" to Supreme Court. CJI said: "Nobody can browbeat judiciary. We are not sitting in ivory towers. We will ask one petitioner to explain his conduct."

 Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Gandhi. Court said notice on behalf of one petitioner will be entertained provisionally, subject to explaining conduct at next hearing. CJI had earlier declined meeting request from Kharge & Rahul saying matter sub-judice.

Petitioners: Rahul Gandhi (lead petitioner Diary No. 64196/2026), Mallikarjun Kharge, Saugata Roy (TMC), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena UBT), M A Baby (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Mahua Majhi (JMM), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), ET Mohammed Basheer (IUML). Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) filed separate plea.

What Petition Seeks:

 Immediate stay on SIR exercise nationwide

Independent audit by SIT headed by retired SC judge

Publish booth-wise deleted voter list with reasons

Prosecution inquiry against CEC

Jantar Mantar Angle:

 SC also sought reply from Delhi Govt on why Jantar Mantar denotified on Oct 11-12 as protest site. SG Tushar Mehta said committee formed to find alternative sites Burari Ground, Ramlila, CBD Ground designated.

 Next hearing: Oct 27 clubbed batch.