Authorities in India have deployed more than 20,000 police and paramilitary officers across New Delhi in anticipation of mass protests scheduled for Saturday. The demonstrations are organized to demand the resignation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) chief, Gyanesh Kumar, following widespread controversy over the commission’s "special intensive revision" of electoral rolls.
While the ECI maintains that the revision process is a standard procedure designed to remove duplicate and ineligible voters, critics and opposition parties argue that the exercise is intended to disenfranchise voters to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission has formally rejected these allegations of wrongdoing.
Tensions have escalated throughout the month, with numerous street protests occurring across the capital. Several key figures from the opposition Congress party, including leader Rahul Gandhi, have participated in these rallies; Gandhi was briefly detained by police earlier this week. In response to the unrest, yellow metal barricades have been erected throughout the city center, effectively restricting access to Jantar Mantar, the government-designated site for protests. Police have not granted authorization for rallies at this location.
The upcoming protests are supported by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical youth-led movement that gained prominence in May after successfully campaigning to oust a former education minister. Activist Saurav Das alleged that police have been detaining volunteers and supporters in preparation for the Saturday mobilization, stating, "Delhi police is working like the BJP's private militia." Police have not provided a response to these specific allegations. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders are scheduled to meet with President Droupadi Murmu on Friday to formally voice their grievances against the ECI leadership.
