Thousands of opposition supporters marched through the streets of New Delhi on Monday and reached the Supreme Court. They submitted a petition against the ongoing revision of voter lists that has triggered days of protests in the Indian capital and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Opposition parties and supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party youth movement have been holding almost daily rallies this month. They are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Critics claim the revision process benefits the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The revision, which began last year, removed more than 130 million names from voter lists. Officials say these include 28 million deceased voters, 63 million people who relocated and 30 million who could not be traced. Opposition leaders argue that many genuine voters, especially from minority communities, have been unfairly deleted.
Monday’s march covered nearly 7 km through central Delhi. Protesters waved party flags and raised slogans calling for Kumar to step down. The rally remained peaceful under heavy security. Earlier over the weekend, police had detained thousands of demonstrators, including several CJP leaders, and imposed a lockdown in parts of the city centre.
The opposition petition is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Signatories include opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. The petition demands an independent audit of the deletions, protection against removal without proper notice, a fair hearing for affected voters and an interim suspension of the revision across the country.
The Election Commission has rejected claims of bias. It says wrongly deleted voters can re-register. The BJP has accused the opposition of trying to damage public trust in democratic institutions. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the protests as an attempt by Congress to return to power through chaos.
Authorities closed six metro stations in central Delhi for eleven hours and restricted traffic on several routes. Police also announced that the traditional protest site at Jantar Mantar is no longer approved. Three new venues have been designated for future demonstrations.
The youth-led movement has emerged as one of the strongest challenges to Modi and the BJP during his twelve years in power. Protesters say fundamental democratic values are under threat and institutions are losing their independence. The coming court hearing will be closely watched as both sides dig in over the future of India’s electoral rolls.
