India has deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel in New Delhi and restricted transport services ahead of a major opposition protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter-roll irregularities. The demonstration, called by the youth-led Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), is scheduled for October 10, 2026.
The protests follow allegations of misconduct during the Election Commission of India’s special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists. The Election Commission has rejected claims of impropriety, stating that the exercise is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible voters and improve the accuracy of electoral rolls.
Opposition parties and critics argue that the voter-list revision could disenfranchise eligible voters and disproportionately affect marginalised and minority communities. The BJP and its supporters have raised concerns about undocumented migrants being fraudulently registered as voters, while the Election Commission maintains that the revision is intended to identify ineligible entries.
Ahead of the demonstration, authorities deployed security personnel across the capital and erected metal barricades on roads leading to Jantar Mantar, a designated protest location. Police did not authorise rallies at the site for the weekend. Authorities also ordered the closure of several metro stations and cancelled some trains travelling to New Delhi.
India’s Supreme Court said on Friday that some trains must continue operating and that metro stations should not be closed under a blanket order. The transport restrictions and security deployment have intensified debate over public access, protest rights and the authorities’ response to the planned demonstration.
The CJP has alleged that at least 10,000 people, including supporters travelling to Delhi by train, were detained across the country. Police had not responded to the party’s broader allegations of mass detentions, according to the report. CJP leaders have criticised the restrictions, while supporters have vowed to continue their movement.
The voter-roll revision began in 2025 and has resulted in more than 133 million names being excluded from draft electoral rolls, according to the report. The exclusions include duplicate entries and people identified as deceased. The dispute has become a major political issue during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term, with questions focusing on electoral integrity, voter eligibility and the right to peaceful protest.
India Deploys Thousands of Police Ahead of Opposition Protest Over Voter-Roll Irregularities
