Election Commission declines MPs’ request to meet at Parliament Annexe

The Election Commission of India said it declined a request from a delegation of opposition MPs led by Rahul Gandhi to meet at the Parliament House Annexe on October 6, saying its procedure calls for such meetings to take place at the Commission’s premises. The Commission said it offered to send its senior-most officer to receive the delegation’s memorandum, but that the MPs rejected the offer. In a statement, the Commission said it had received no appointment request from a political party through an authorised representative by about 4 p.m. It said Delhi Police informed it at around that time that Gandhi-led MPs wanted to meet the Commission and submit a memorandum. The Commission said it was then told the delegation comprised about 240 MPs and wanted to meet at the Annexe. The Commission described the proposed venue as outside its usual protocol. It said a procedure introduced in 2025 requires a party or joint delegation to seek an appointment through an authorised representative, with the meeting scheduled at a mutually agreed time. The Commission said political parties could request meetings under that process.