New Delhi: Thousands of farmers, students, trade union members, Left party workers and civil society activists marched towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in New Delhi on Friday, demanding the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Delhi Police detained more than 100 protesters after they attempted to breach barricades near Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, a few hundred metres from the ECI headquarters on Ashoka Road. The demonstration took place amid restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), with Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel deployed across central Delhi.
The march, organised by the Delhi Coordination Committee of People Against SIR, brought together representatives of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, trade unions, student organisations and Left parties from Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Carrying the national flag and banners reading 'Scrap SIR' and 'Vote Chori', protesters held a ‘People’s Parliament’ after police stopped them from proceeding towards the ECI headquarters.
Separately, Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the Union government over the deployment of security personnel in Delhi to prevent protests, questioning whether the government was giving adequate attention to national security concerns.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dipke referred to the challenges along the India-China border and the case involving American national Matthew VanDyke, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in March along with six Ukrainian nationals for allegedly training ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.
A Delhi court on Friday permitted VanDyke to travel to the United States and extended permission for the six Ukrainian co-accused to remain outside India until February 24, 2027.
Dipke alleged that preventing protests and demands for Kumar’s resignation had become a priority for the government. His remarks came after ITBP Director General Shatrujeet Singh Kapur highlighted continuing face-offs at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh and the challenges posed by China's military modernisation.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry extended the deployment of 273 Central Armed Police Forces companies in Delhi until October 31 for the second time, citing the possibility of 'flash protests' by political and other groups.
Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat criticised the Union government and Delhi Police over the use of preventive peace bonds against protesters opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Condemning the requirement for demonstrators to furnish personal and surety bonds to avoid detention, Karat turned the demand back on the government, challenging it to give an assurance that it would stop what she described as vote theft and attacks on the Constitution.
“Give us a peace bond pledging that you will stop stealing votes and attacking the Constitution, as you are doing right now,” she said.
In a related development, Cockroach Janata Party activists Ashutosh Ranka, Sourav Das and Ajinkya Shinde appeared before the Special Executive Magistrate court on Friday for verification of their sureties. The next hearing has been scheduled for the third week of November, according to Ranka.
The proceedings follow the detention of CJP activists in connection with an October 13 protest at Jantar Mantar, which had been denotified as a designated protest site.
The magistrate had earlier ordered the release of Das and Ranka from judicial custody after accepting their personal and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each and obtaining written undertakings to maintain peace and abide by the law. They were also directed not to call for protests at Jantar Mantar until the site is formally notified in accordance with the law.
The three activists had been summoned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch for questioning on October 22 but did not appear. Ranka said they had informed the police that they could not attend and were awaiting fresh dates for questioning.
Protesters accused the Election Commission of risking the exclusion of eligible citizens through the electoral roll revision exercise, demanding transparency, correction of voter lists and restoration of voting rights to those whose names had allegedly been deleted.
Bharatiya Kisan Union national general secretary Yudhvir Singh called for the rollback of SIR, Kumar’s resignation and an apology from the government. CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar said the movement would be intensified in the coming days.
Student activists also argued that the revision exercise could undermine the electoral rights of marginalised communities. The Election Commission has faced sustained criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups over the exercise.
According to the People Against SIR forum, demonstrations have been planned in 88 cities across 18 states, involving 145 organisations, with programmes scheduled from October 23 to November 1. Organisers said more than 300 organisations had joined the wider campaign. Protesters have said they will continue their agitation over concerns about voter exclusion and electoral transparency.