KC Venugopal, serving as Congress General Secretary (Organisation), announced that the INDIA bloc intends to take its case to the Supreme Court over what the alliance describes as threats to democratic values and principles. In an interview with a television news outlet, he put forward the view that the planned gathering in New Delhi on October 12 amounted to more than a simple protest, characterising it as a collective effort to defend democratic principles. Venugopal urged the public to take part in that effort, describing the preservation of the country's democratic foundations as a responsibility shared by all.

Venugopal drew attention to the broad-based character of the effort, noting that Rahul Gandhi, in his capacity as leader of the opposition, had put out an open call for all citizens to stand in defence of the country's democratic institutions. He indicated that substantial voter participation was anticipated across India the following day, with opposition parties expected to present a unified front.

Reports indicate that the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, chose not to grant an audience to INDIA bloc leaders who had sought to place before him material relating to claimed irregularities in electoral processes. The matter being before the courts, he directed them toward the formal petition process as the appropriate avenue for seeking judicial remedy. Opposition leaders received an email laying out the reasoning behind the decision not to hold the meeting.

Venugopal noted that while the opposition holds the CJI's position in regard, their plan to proceed toward the Supreme Court remains unchanged, adding that the CJI had chosen not to grant a meeting and had instead left open the avenue of submitting a petition either by hand delivery or through the standard legal process. He stated that, while the other side's position was acknowledged, the group's intention remained to bring their case before the Supreme Court the following day.

Arrests of protesters in the country's capital followed a demonstration in which participants called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down from his post. Leaders from the opposition voiced objections to how police had handled the situation, while also renewing their appeal for members of the public to take part in the forthcoming march.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor contended that the Election Commission of India had fallen short of its statutory obligations, adding that the opposition planned to carry out a march calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down without delay. Tharoor put forward the position that Election Commission policies had curtailed the rights of a broad section of the Indian population.

Speaking through a video posted on X, Tharoor laid out the goals his opposition bloc was pursuing — among them a call for justice, an end to the programme he labelled the "Special Intensive Revision," and the restoration of voting rights for those he said had been stripped of them. He put forward the position that participation in democratic elections and procedures represented a basic right belonging to all citizens, one that faces no barriers to entry.

Rahul Gandhi, who holds the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, urged young people, opposition parties, and civil society organisations to join the march under the banner of "Daro mat" — meaning "Do not fear" — while noting that those who had taken part in the demonstrations had done so without violence or hostility, yet still encountered action by police. Speaking at the event, Gandhi put forward a call for broader participation from civil society organisations in upholding democratic principles.

An activist affiliated with the Cockroach Janta Party, identified as Dipke, stated his intention to press on with protests even after having faced detention on a prior occasion. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar characterised the opposition's gathering as limited in attendance and unlikely to sustain itself. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta placed responsibility for unrest at the protests on opposition parties while offering praise for how Delhi Police handled crowd safety.