New Delhi: Senior advocate and former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Adish C Aggarwala urged Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday to call off a proposed march to the Supreme Court on October 12, saying it would put undue political pressure on the judiciary, according to a press release.
Opposition leaders plan to march to the apex court to submit a memorandum to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
According to the release, in a letter to Gandhi, Aggarwala said such a march would “interfere with the independent judicial process”, especially as it concerns politically contentious issues linked to pending court proceedings.
The ongoing confrontation stems from allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft) and controversial electoral roll modifications under Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Following days of escalating street demonstrations, mass detentions, and transit shutdowns in the capital, the INDIA bloc announced a major mobilization to march toward the Supreme Court and submit a memorandum directly to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.
Former legal representatives, including senior advocate Kapil Sibal, have publicly expressed fatigue over relying heavily on legal and judicial arenas for structural political gridlocks, noting the sensitivity of politicizing the physical premises of the apex court. Legal experts have cautioned that aggressively protesting at the Supreme Court gates risks creating an impression of attempting to pressure or compromise the independence of the judiciary.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) previously stepped in to demand the immediate release of advocates swept up in preceding local crackdowns. However, institutional norms strictly dictate that while political delegations can formally seek an audience with the CJI—which has reportedly been granted as a formal meeting slot between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM on Monday, October 12—unregulated mass public mobilizations outside court premises are heavily discouraged by the legal fraternity to uphold institutional integrity.
In response to legal warnings, security crackdowns, and counter-allegations from the ruling party labeling the street sit-ins as “anarchy,” Rahul Gandhi has remained defiant. He stated that the joint opposition would not back down and would utilize all legal and democratic channels to voice their grievances concerning democratic institutions.
