Dramatic scenes unfolded on Monday as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav jumped over a Delhi Police barricade during the INDIA bloc’s protest march to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The demonstration, which began from Parliament, was stopped by police soon after it started.
The Opposition’s INDIA bloc organized the march against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and over allegations of ‘voter fraud’ during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The protest was led by Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
The march comes just days after Rahul Gandhi’s Thursday press conference, where he claimed to have an ‘atom bomb’ of evidence about the Election Commission being involved in ‘vote chori’.
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Heavy Police Deployment and Barricades
Delhi Police set up multiple barricades along the route and deployed additional personnel to manage the protest. Quick reaction teams and security vehicles were also stationed near the ECI office and surrounding roads to maintain traffic flow and prevent any untoward incidents.
According to officials, no permission had been sought to hold the protest. Despite this, over 300 MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha participated in the march, which began at around 11:30 am.
The Barricade Jump
Shortly after the leaders set out from Parliament, they were stopped by police barricades. At the same time, Akhilesh Yadav was seen climbing and jumping over one of the barricades of the Delhi Police. The crowd cheered his attempt of trying to move forward.
Watch:
#WATCH | Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav jumps over a police barricade as Delhi Police stops INDIA bloc leaders marching from the Parliament to the Election Commission of India to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound… pic.twitter.com/X8YV4mQ28P
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2025
It became one of the most viral moments from of protest with videos circulating on social media.
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Opposition’s Stand
The INDIA bloc maintains that the ECI’s revision process in Bihar is politically motivated and aimed at manipulating voter lists ahead of state elections. The alliance also accuses the poll body of turning a blind eye to irregularities during the national elections earlier this year.
The protest remained peaceful but was heavily monitored by security forces as of Monday afternoon. The leaders continued to press for action from the Election Commission.
