How long can the protesting opposition leader be held in custody?

India Alliance MPs, including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, were detained during their protest against alleged voter list manipulation in Bihar. They claim the Election Commission’s SIR process has disenfranchised lakhs of voters. Police invoked standard detention rules (max 24 hrs without arrest). The incident escalates government-opposition tensions ahead of elections, with questions raised about electoral integrity.

New Delhi: Today, on Monday, the MPs of the India Alliance took out a march from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters in protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and alleged vote theft. During this, the police tried to stop them, after which the opposition leaders created a ruckus. The police detained many prominent opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Dynamite News Exclusive: Rahul Gandhi, Dimple Yadav, Priyanka Gandhi among INDIA bloc leaders detained during SIR protest in Delhi. Watch the exclusive report of Dynamite News on INDIA bloc's march against SIR with our fiery reporter @SubhashRaturi @RahulGandhi |… pic.twitter.com/47vTCozbTV

— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) August 11, 2025

The opposition alleges that the Election Commission is violating the rights of voters in Bihar in connivance with the BJP. They say that under the SIR process, the names of lakhs of voters have disappeared from the voter list, posing a threat to democracy. Opposition leaders protested strongly on this issue, after which the police detained them to control them.

What do the rules of detention say?

According to Indian law, no person can be detained for more than 24 hours without arrest. If the police want to detain someone for longer than this, he or she has to be produced before a magistrate. In the case of politicians, they are usually detained for a short time for security reasons and released when the situation calms down.

In serious cases, the police can take a remand of up to 15 days, which can also be extended. The person detained has the right to seek legal aid and must be produced before a magistrate within 48 hours. If the police cannot provide sufficient reason, the person has to be released.

Political impact and further strategy

This incident has further increased the tension between the government and the opposition. The opposition alleges that the government is weakening democratic processes, while the ruling party says that this demonstration is only a political drama. The detention of opposition leaders has once again raised questions on the role of the police and the administration.

Now all eyes are on what action the Election Commission takes in this matter and whether there will be any transparent review of the voter list in Bihar. Also, it will be interesting to see how much impact this strategy of the opposition parties will have in the upcoming elections.