New Delhi, October 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on October 26 an application concerning allegations by a pregnant journalist that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi pushed and pulled her during an Opposition INDIA bloc march on the Supreme Court premises over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The application was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant by senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, who sought a hearing date and clarification on whether notices had been issued in connected matters.
Responding to Bhatia, the CJI-led Bench clarified that notices had already been issued in all the matters mentioned before it on Thursday. The Bench said the application would be listed for hearing on October 26.
The journalist, Richa Parashar, who works with news website Oneindia, alleged that Gandhi grabbed her hand and pulled her aggressively while she was covering the march. She further claimed that she was pushed by his security personnel and fell to the ground.
Parashar was subsequently hospitalised. She is three months pregnant and alleged that the incident occurred amid the commotion during the Opposition leaders’ protest on the Supreme Court premises.
The Congress has denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. Party leaders and supporters have also circulated videos of the incident, questioning whether the footage establishes that Gandhi pushed the journalist.
The development comes a day after the Supreme Court issued notice on a separate plea seeking safeguards against political demonstrations in and around court premises, following the October 12 protest march.
A Bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, while issuing notice on the plea, directed that CCTV footage and other digital evidence relating to the incident be preserved.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Bhatia submitted that it was unacceptable for the Supreme Court to have to deal with a political procession. The CJI-led Bench observed that “nobody can browbeat” the apex court.
The INDIA bloc march, which included Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, was organised after the CJI declined a request from Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to meet him and submit a memorandum regarding the SIR exercise.
The CJI had advised the Opposition leaders to approach the Supreme Court through the established legal process. He observed that convening a meeting to discuss pending cases would be contrary to the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
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