Thousands of people marched in New Delhi on Monday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged misconduct during a revision of India’s voter lists.
The demonstrations, involving opposition parties and supporters of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party movement, defied a strict security clampdown in the capital. Protesters called on the government to halt the removal of voters from the electoral rolls.
More than 133 million names have been removed from voter lists since last year, according to media reports. About 969 million people were eligible to vote in India’s 2024 election.
Critics allege that the large-scale revision could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They also say minorities, particularly Muslims, have been disproportionately affected.
The Election Commission of India has denied any wrongdoing. Election authorities say the changes are intended to remove duplicate, deceased and fraudulent names from the rolls.
Thousands of security personnel were deployed across central Delhi for a third consecutive day. Heavy metal barricades were erected and key metro stations were closed as authorities sought to contain the protests.
Pressure has also grown over the police response to the demonstrations. Thousands of protesters, including organisers, were detained over the weekend, according to local media reports, although most have since been released.
Three senior leaders of the Cockroach movement were among those detained. Several journalists covering the protests said they were also held despite displaying press cards.
The demonstrations have brought opposition parties, student groups and activists together, creating a major political challenge for Mr Modi over the voter-list revision.
