Thousands of protesters, including representatives of farmers' organisations, trade unions, student bodies and Left parties, marched towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and withdrawal of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Delhi Police detained more than 100 demonstrators after they attempted to breach multi-layered barricades near Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, a few hundred metres from the ECI headquarters on Ashoka Road.
Carrying the Tricolour and banners reading "Scrap SIR", "Vote Chori" and "No elections with SIR", protesters raised slogans against the poll panel chief and accused the Commission of undermining electoral rights through the revision exercise.
The march, organised by the Delhi Coordination Committee of People Against SIR, began near Gole Dak Khana at the intersection of Kalibari Marg and Bhai Vir Singh Marg.
Participants included members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), trade unions, student organisations and Left parties from Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐๐
The demonstrators were prevented from proceeding towards the Election Commission headquarters by a heavy deployment of Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel.
Restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were in force across the area.
Some protesters climbed a tree and attempted to wave the national flag, while activists of the All India Students' Association (AISA) carried satirical placards targeting Kumar.
After police blocked their route, the demonstrators staged a sit-in and held a 'People's Parliament' to voice their objections to the electoral roll revision.
Visuals showing students being taken into police buses while waving the national flag circulated widely on social media on Friday evening.
Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) participated in the demonstration.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Protesters alleged that the SIR exercise had resulted in the removal of eligible voters from electoral rolls, particularly among marginalised communities.
"They have deleted millions of votes through SIR. They are denouncing the citizenship of millions who have lived in India for generations, especially minorities like Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis," said Disha, a member of the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU).
"Their identity and autonomy are being taken away through SIR. I don't get the whole illegal immigrant thing," she added.
Another protester, Shreya, said the agitation would continue despite restrictions on demonstrations in central Delhi.
She argued that the large turnout showed that opposition to the electoral roll revision could not be contained merely by removing Jantar Mantar's status as a designated protest site.
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ
Bharatiya Kisan Union national general secretary Yudhvir Singh demanded withdrawal of the revision exercise and correction of electoral rolls.
"We demand that SIR should be rolled back, Gyanesh Kumar should resign, the voter list should be rectified, and the government should apologise," Singh said.
CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar said the movement would be intensified in the coming days.
"The agitation will continue. Gyanesh Kumar must resign; no one can save him. We will intensify our movement in the coming days," he said.
A Delhi University student participating in the demonstration said voting rights were fundamental to democracy and demanded transparency in the revision process.
"Police barricades will not deter our movement. Citizens have the right to question institutions and demand answers when their voting rights are at stake, and we will not stop till we have answers," the student said.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ด๐ด ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐
According to the People Against SIR forum, demonstrations have been planned across 88 cities in 18 states, involving 145 organisations, with programmes scheduled from October 23 to November 1.
Organisers claimed that more than 300 organisations had joined the wider campaign, demanding the scrapping of the SIR, restoration of voting rights to eligible citizens whose names were deleted, and the removal and prosecution of the Chief Election Commissioner.
The protest forms part of a broader mobilisation by opposition parties, farmers' groups, student organisations and civil society bodies against the electoral roll revision exercise.
While protesters allege that the process risks excluding eligible citizens, the Election Commission maintains that electoral roll revisions are intended to ensure the accuracy of voter lists.
The organisers said demonstrations would continue in the coming days, with further programmes planned across the country.