INDIA bloc rally today: What to know about the Ramlila Maidan protest

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc is staging the ‘Chalo Dilli’ march to demand the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday (November 1, 2026). The Opposition alliance alleges severe irregularities in the electoral rolls and opposes the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The mega rally follows a symbolic “public impeachment” exercise the Opposition held on October 31, where they presented six charges against the CEC, including conspiring with the ruling BJP to steal elections, deleting 13.2 crore voters through the SIR of voter lists, and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally was announced by Congress leader K.C. Venugopal on October 5. The Opposition’s mega rally is scheduled for Sunday (November 1, 2026) at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. The Opposition parties have announced they will hold a nearly 1.5-kilometre march from central Delhi to the Ramlila Maidan, a ground that is the designated site for their protest rally.

At Ramlila Maidan, a large tricolour canopy has been erected over the main stage for senior opposition leaders, while a second stage is being arranged for representatives of the INDIA bloc State units. Rows of white canopy tents have been put up, metal barricades installed to regulate movement, and temporary platforms have been assembled.

The INDIA bloc has appealed to students, youth, women, workers and civil society members to join the protest. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations have also extended support to the mobilisation. New Delhi is witnessing a dual political standoff as the ruling BJP has announced to stage a counter march in West Delhi.

The ruling BJP is mounting a counter-offensive with a march in West Delhi to remember the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, accusing the Congress of holding a political rally on the anniversary of the violence. The BJP march will begin at 11:30 a.m.

from Hari Nagar Bus Depot to Tilak Nagar Metro Station in West Delhi, led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP president and Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, Sardar H.S. Phoolka, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and MP Bansuri Swaraj along with members of the Sikh community.

At 10:30 a.m., BJP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney will address the media alongside 1984 riot victims at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib. BJP national president Nitin Nabin is also set to lead a ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ march in Haryana’s Rohtak to counter the Opposition’s narrative.

The Delhi traffic police have put strict traffic curbs and diversions in place across Central Delhi between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Key points of diversions include Netaji Subhash Marg T-Point, Rajghat, Delhi Gate, ITO A-Point, Ajmeri Gate Red Light, Ranjeet Singh Flyover at Barakhamba Road, Bhavbhuti Marg-DDU Marg Red Light, Jhandewalan Roundabout, Turkman Gate and Mirdard Chowk.

Amid concerns from central Delhi shopkeepers about rally crowds, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly appealed to attendees to support local vendors by purchasing festival items for Deepavali, Chhath and Bhai Dooj. The INDIA bloc has said it expects a turnout of up to 10 lakh people, while Delhi Police expects around 50,000.

Ramlila Maidan can accommodate 45,000 to 50,000 people when empty, but its capacity is estimated to come down to 30,000-40,000 with chairs, enclosures and designated passageways in place. More than 4,000 police personnel, along with Central Armed Police Forces companies, are being deployed for security and crowd management along the march route and at the venue.

The ground has been divided into 14 zones, each supervised by an officer of assistant commissioner rank. More than 200 CCTV cameras, drones and body-worn cameras will be used for surveillance.