NEW DELHI: Indian authorities have tightened security in Delhi ahead of a major opposition protest scheduled for Sunday, with police personnel carrying batons and shields and riot-control vehicles deployed around the rally venue.
The demonstration, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, is expected to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a controversial revision of voter lists.
Authorities have warned of traffic diversions ahead of the planned march and rally. Opposition parties say hundreds of thousands of people could participate in what they describe as a major challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Opposition parties, student groups and the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party have staged near-daily demonstrations since last month, calling for Kumar’s resignation over changes to voter registration lists that critics allege favour the ruling BJP.
The Election Commission has denied bias, saying voters whose names were incorrectly removed can re-register. The BJP, meanwhile, has accused opposition parties of undermining democratic institutions by questioning legitimate electoral procedures.
The opposition has announced plans for a march of approximately 1.5 kilometres from Central Delhi to Ramlila Maidan, where a rally will take place.
Footage released by news agency ANI showed riot-control vehicles and dozens of security personnel stationed outside the venue. Announcements were also made urging participants to cooperate with police and help maintain traffic flow.
Delhi Traffic Police said a large gathering was expected and that traffic restrictions and diversions would be introduced as necessary.
Senior police officer Rohit Rajbir told ANI that preparations had been made at the rally venue and along the march route, adding that people had already begun arriving to participate.
The demonstrations intensified after The Indian Express reported in September that two deputy election commissioners had raised concerns internally about voter-list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems.
The revision process, which began last year, resulted in more than 130 million names being removed from voter lists. These included approximately 28 million deceased voters, 63 million people who had relocated and 30 million individuals who could not be traced.
Opposition parties allege that the deletions disproportionately affected Muslim voters and other minority communities, which they claim are less likely to support the Hindu nationalist ruling party. Both the Election Commission and the BJP have rejected allegations of political bias.