Voter-roll protests continue in Delhi as police detain demonstrators near Jantar Mantar
Students, opposition groups and a new Gen Z-led movement are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
Police detained protesters in central Delhi on Saturday, 3 October, as demonstrations over alleged irregularities in India’s voter rolls continued for a second day. Local media reported more than 100 detentions on Saturday, AFP said. Hundreds had been detained on Friday, Gandhi Jayanti, when the protests began.
Demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Protests were also reported at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
What the protest is about
The agitation centres on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a door-to-door re-verification of voters that the Election Commission has been carrying out in phases since 2025. Protesters allege that the revision removed eligible voters in large numbers and that this benefits the ruling BJP. The Supreme Court upheld the legality of the SIR in May 2026, finding it consistent with the Representation of the People Act.
The Election Commission has rejected the allegations of wrongdoing. Mr Kumar has not commented publicly on the protests.
Who is protesting
The protests have drawn the student group AISA, whose national president Neha Bora said the agitation would continue, along with the student and youth wings of several opposition parties, including AAP, the Left, the Congress, SFI and NSUI. A new Gen Z-led group, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), is among the most visible participants.
Every attempt to suppress peaceful protesters will only bring more people to the streets. — Abhijeet Dipke, CJP chief, as quoted by AFP
Activist Yogendra Yadav criticised the police response. “If a designated protest site cannot accommodate peaceful dissent, where does democracy leave room for protest?” he said.
The police position
Delhi Police said no permission had been granted for any protest and that unauthorised gatherings were prohibited around Jantar Mantar. Thousands of personnel were deployed, roads around central Delhi were barricaded, and several Metro station gates were shut.
What this means for you
If you live in a state where the SIR has taken place, check that your name is still on the electoral roll. You can search by your EPIC (voter ID) number on the Election Commission’s voters’ service portal or the Voter Helpline app. If your name is missing, you can apply to be added using Form 6.
What happens next
Protesters have announced a march to the Election Commission on 8 October, and the CJP has called for a mass mobilisation on 10 October. The Daily Rostrum will update this story as it develops.
Sources: AFP via The Daily Star, Malay Mail.