Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge escalated the rhetoric significantly, demanding the dissolution of both the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. He argued that "all the elections were illegal" and even questioned the legitimacy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and various Chief Ministers. Kharge alleged the misuse of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), citing internal dissent within his own party regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision. He referenced reports indicating that two Election Commissioners had written to the CEC multiple times without effect, suggesting arbitrary election conduct.

The legal arm of the Indian Youth Congress also intervened, with President Uday Bhanu Chib moving the Delhi High Court. The petition challenges a Delhi Police order dated October 1, 2026, which rejected the IYC’s request to hold a peaceful demonstration for around 100-150 people. The legal team argued that the refusal was a "mechanical application" of protest guidelines and violated constitutional rights to assembly and expression. They asserted that authorities cannot "convert the power to regulate a peaceful assembly into a power to prohibit it."

Simultaneously, members of the car washer union CarWAN protested near the site, demanding the release of activists held by Uttar Pradesh police in Noida. They highlighted the case of Satyam Verma, who continues to face National Security Act (NSA) charges, and Akriti Chaudhary, who remains in jail despite the quashing of her NSA charges. Six other activists are also reportedly in jail. CarWAN members alleged they were detained forcefully by police personnel who were seen without visible name tags, further fueling accusations of unaccountable policing.

The symbolism of the protest was stark, with IYC workers dressing in black robes, white masks, and skulls to represent themselves as "living ghosts" allegedly removed from voter rolls while still alive. This visual protest underscored the core grievance: the disenfranchisement of citizens through opaque electoral processes. Despite the physical barriers and arrests, prominent figures like Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra urged continued resistance via social media, noting that 11 metro stations had been shut down to prevent mobilization.

Delhi Police responded to the unrest by registering at least three FIRs in connection with the Friday protests involving student organizations, political parties, and civil society activists. The force remained firm, citing security concerns as they prevented large groups from reaching the iconic site. Meanwhile, political leaders like Kharge and Sapkal warned that the BJP would face consequences for attempting to suppress public dissent through legal and physical pressure.

Delhi Politics Faces Electoral Legitimacy Crisis

The mass detentions and high-profile political accusations signal a deepening crisis of confidence in India’s electoral administration. As Congress and student unions legally and physically challenge the authority of the Election Commission, the government’s reliance on security measures to maintain order may only intensify public scrutiny. If the legal challenges to the Special Intensive Revision proceed and allegations of procedural irregularities persist, it could lead to significant political instability and widespread demands for fundamental reforms in how elections are conducted and verified in the future.