New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday said no political party had formally sought an appointment with the poll panel until 4 pm, hours after INDIA bloc MPs marched towards its headquarters and staged a day-long protest.

The clarification came after the opposition protest escalated into a standoff near the Election Commission office, with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entering the Akashvani Bhawan premises as protesters attempted to reach the poll panel.

According to the Election Commission, it was informed by the Delhi Police around 4 pm that a delegation of MPs led by Rahul Gandhi wanted to meet the poll panel and submit a memorandum.

The Commission said it had learnt through media reports that MPs participating in the march wanted to meet its officials. However, it maintained that no political party had approached it through an authorised representative to seek an appointment before that time.

EC cites procedure for meeting political parties

The poll panel said it had established a procedure in 2025 for meetings with political parties. Under the system, a party delegation or a joint delegation representing multiple parties is required to seek an appointment through its duly authorised representative.

The Commission said it respected parliamentary and democratic processes as well as the established protocols and conventions governing its interactions with political parties.

It also made clear that political parties remain free to approach the poll panel for a meeting.

"Any political party may, at any time, request a meeting with the Election Commission," the Commission said.

Rahul Gandhi enters AIR premises during protest

The clarification came against the backdrop of a dramatic protest by INDIA bloc leaders earlier in the day.

Rahul Gandhi was at the centre of the march from Parliament Street towards the Election Commission headquarters. He and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with some other leaders, entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises while attempting to move towards the poll panel's office.

Gandhi also climbed onto a multi-layered steel barricade during the protest, waved the national flag and later moved past police cordons into the All India Radio compound.

He remained inside the premises until close to sunset as police prevented the protesters from proceeding towards the Election Commission office.

Several opposition leaders were detained after police stopped the march. Those detained included Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O'Brien.

Why is the INDIA bloc protesting?

The protest is part of a wider opposition campaign seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The latest demonstrations followed a September 25 report by The Indian Express that raised allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and differences among election commissioners.

The INDIA bloc has continued to press its concerns over the electoral process, with Tuesday's march becoming one of the most high-profile confrontations between opposition leaders and the Election Commission in recent days.

The Election Commission's statement, however, focused on the procedure for seeking meetings and its claim that no formal request had been received through an authorised political representative until 4 pm.

With PTI inputs