Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Booked After Akashvani Bhawan Protest

The October 6 Protest and Akashvani Bhawan Entry

On October 6, 2026, a protest march led by the INDIA bloc of opposition MPs culminated in a standoff with Delhi Police. The march, which began at Parliament House and headed toward the Election Commission (EC) office at Nirvachan Sadan, was stopped by police approximately 300 metres from its destination. In a defiant move, Rahul Gandhi climbed steel barricades and entered the premises of Akashvani Bhawan (All India Radio), where he and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a sit-in that lasted over eight hours. Both leaders were briefly detained on Tuesday night after refusing to vacate the premises.

FIR and Allegations of 'Vote Chori'

Following the incident, Delhi Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc leaders for entering the Akashvani Bhawan compound without official permission. The protest was rooted in allegations of a "vote chori" (vote theft) conspiracy. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh stated that Rahul Gandhi has been "relentlessly exposing, through factual evidence, the Vote Chori conspiracy" involving the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). Ramesh further claimed that the FIR was an attempt to suppress the opposition's satyagraha against electoral fraud.

Election Commission's Protocol Dispute

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has contested the narrative of the protest, citing a breach of meeting protocols. According to the ECI, no formal appointment request was received from any political party until 4 pm on the day of the protest. The commission highlighted a specific procedural clash regarding the venue of the requested meeting:

• The Request: The ECI was informed by police that a group of 240 MPs wanted to meet at the Parliament House Annexe.
• The Protocol: Per ECI rules established in 2025, such meetings must take place exclusively on the premises of the Election Commission.
• The Offer: In an "unprecedented step," the EC offered to send its senior-most officer on duty to the protest site to receive the memorandum, but the MPs declined this offer.

The broader context of the unrest stems from demands for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, following reports of irregularities in the SIR process.

Public and Digital Response

The event triggered a massive spike in digital interest. According to Google Trends data observed on October 7, 2026, searches for "rahul gandhi" in India surged by 400% within a 24-hour period, reflecting the high public visibility of the standoff and the subsequent legal action.