Delhi sealed off ahead of youth protest against Indian election chief - Reuters

Central Delhi was placed under a comprehensive seal on Saturday as authorities prepared for a large‑scale demonstration. Thousands of police officers and paramilitary personnel were deployed, metro stations were closed, mobile internet services were suspended and markets in the area were shut down to maintain order and security.

The demonstration is being organized by a youth collective that calls itself the “Cockroach” movement. Participants are calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that a recent revision of voter lists is biased in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The organizers have framed the protest as a “Save Democracy” campaign and anticipate a turnout of thousands of demonstrators.

The protest follows a report by The Indian Express that revealed internal dissent within the Election Commission. According to the report, deputies of the chief election commissioner had questioned and disagreed with the revision process, which resulted in the removal of approximately 130 million names from voter rolls. Critics argue that the deletions could advantage the ruling party in upcoming elections.

Opposition parties have seized on the report, accusing the government of manipulating voter lists to secure electoral gains. The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, rejected the allegations, emphasizing Prime Minister Modi’s popularity and India’s economic growth as the primary drivers of its electoral success. The Election Commission itself, along with the BJP, denied any wrongdoing in the revision process.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has not publicly responded to the accusations. The planned protest adds to a series of near‑daily demonstrations by opposition groups, which analysts note represent a growing political challenge for the Modi administration.