Authorities closed a central park in New Delhi on Friday ahead of a planned protest demanding the removal of India’s chief election commissioner over a controversial voter-roll revision exercise.
Organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the campaign has become a focal point of opposition anger over allegations that the revised electoral rolls could disadvantage voters and benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Election Commission of India has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the revision aims to remove duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries from electoral lists.
Security Tightened Ahead of Demonstration
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged supporters to gather at Central Park in the capital after two of his colleagues were detained for breaching security barricades at Jantar Mantar, where they had attempted to wave the national flag.
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Police earlier withdrew authorisation for Jantar Mantar to operate as a designated protest site.
On Friday, thousands of security personnel were deployed across parts of New Delhi, while yellow metal barricades appeared at key intersections. Delhi Police also prohibited public gatherings around Connaught Place, citing public-order and safety concerns.
Municipal authorities said Central Park would remain closed for two days for administrative reasons.
Police warned that violations of the restrictions could lead to legal action, while indicating that selected individuals might be permitted to gather at an alternative location.
Dipke said he remained determined to proceed with the protest despite the possibility of arrest.
“Why are you so afraid of cockroaches?” he said.
He added on Thursday that his supporters were not afraid of the authorities and were prepared to face arrest if waving the Indian national flag resulted in detention.
Voter-Roll Revision Sparks Political Dispute
The demonstrations follow a large-scale voter-roll revision overseen by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Media reports say more than 130 million names have been removed from electoral lists under the exercise, prompting protests and criticism from opposition groups.
Critics argue that the removals have disproportionately affected minority communities, particularly Muslims. Election authorities, however, say the process is intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent registrations.
Members of the BJP have repeatedly alleged that undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India’s electoral rolls. The allegations have become part of the wider political debate surrounding voter registration and electoral integrity.
The dispute has intensified concerns among opposition parties about the transparency and potential consequences of the revision process.
Rajnath Singh Accuses Opposition of Creating Unrest
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh rejected the opposition’s criticism on Friday, accusing opposition parties of attempting to undermine democratic institutions and create unrest.
Speaking at a news conference, Singh said the opposition’s campaign was not genuinely about electoral reform or the chief election commissioner.
He alleged that the opposition was seeking to gain political power by creating disorder in the country.
The comments underscored the growing political confrontation over the voter-roll revision, with the government defending the exercise and critics demanding accountability and safeguards against the exclusion of eligible voters.
The planned protest comes amid heightened security restrictions in the capital and continuing disagreement over how India’s electoral rolls should be revised. The central question remains whether the exercise can remove ineligible entries while ensuring that eligible voters retain their right to participate in elections.
