NEW DELHI: Delhi is gearing up for major portests on Saturday as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) plans to march to Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. With police refusing permission for the demonstration, authorities have stepped up preventive measures across the national capital to stop protesters from assembling at unauthorised locations.The security arrangements include the deployment of thousands of police and paramilitary personnel, the temporary suspension of mobile internet services within a four-kilometre radius of the Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing, and restrictions at 57 Delhi Metro stations. Police have also intensified checks at the city’s borders, railway stations, bus terminals, hotels and other sensitive locations amid expectations of a large mobilisation.Delhi Police expects around 7,000 protesters to arrive in the capital, news agency ANI reported. More than 35,000 police and paramilitary personnel are expected to be deployed, according to sources cited by ANI. More than 120 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are also expected to be involved in the security arrangements.The Delhi Police commissioner has directed personnel to maintain restraint and professionalism, avoid reacting to provocation and prevent unauthorised gatherings. Officials have also been instructed to detain people attempting to stage demonstrations, regardless of their location.
Why Delhi Police denied permission
Joint Commissioner of Police Nupur Prasad said on Friday that permission had been denied for the October 10 demonstration, citing the short notice given for the event and concerns over compliance with directions during an earlier protest.The application was submitted on October 7, just three days before the proposed gathering. Police said applications for such demonstrations must be submitted at least 10 days in advance. Authorities also cited concerns arising from the conduct of an earlier demonstration in July.Despite the denial, CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke reiterated that the organisation would proceed with its planned protest at Jantar Mantar. Several student outfits and political groups are also expected to join the mobilisation.AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal appealed to people across the country to participate, accusing the BJP-led government at the Centre of undermining democracy through alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.“I appeal to all the people across the entire country that the way the BJP government at the Centre is playing with our democracy, people’s votes are being deleted on a mass scale. Those who don’t vote for the BJP have their votes deleted, while fake votes are added. This was happening openly under Gyanesh Kumar,” Kejriwal told reporters.
Internet blackout, metro restrictions and border checks
The Union home secretary has authorised the temporary suspension of all mobile internet services within a four-kilometre radius of the Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing, from 10pm on October 9 to 10pm on October 10. The restriction covers all mobile internet technologies, while services elsewhere in Delhi are expected to remain unaffected.Entry and exit gates at 57 metro stations will remain closed from 9pm on Friday until further notice. Interchange facilities will continue at affected stations, except New Delhi metro station. Among the stations affected are Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Janpath, Mandi House, ITO and Supreme Court.Several train services scheduled to arrive at or depart from New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations between 4am and 2pm on Saturday have also been reported cancelled.Other preventive measures include:
- Deployment across Central Delhi: The New Delhi district has been divided into 20 zones, each to be monitored by senior police officers. Additional women personnel from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have also been called in.
- Surveillance and monitoring: Police will use facial recognition systems, additional CCTV cameras, rooftop spotters and drones. More than 200 content creators are reportedly under scrutiny over online mobilisation linked to the protest.
- Checks across the capital: Police have stepped up surveillance at borders, hotels, guest houses, railway stations, bus terminals and airport approach roads. Vehicle restrictions in New Delhi may also be imposed depending on the security assessment.
- Detention arrangements: Six designated centres, including Chhatrasal Stadium, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium and Yamuna Sports Complex, have been identified to hold detained protesters.
- Liquor shops across Delhi have also been ordered to remain closed on October 9 and 10 as a preventive measure.
Police told to exercise restraint
During a briefing, the police commissioner instructed personnel not to react to provocative behaviour or engage in unnecessary verbal confrontations. Officials were also warned against situations in which their interactions with protesters could be recorded and circulated online.
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Unlike the deployment during the INDIA bloc protest, police teams have now been authorised to carry lathis or batons. CAPF units have been instructed not to issue weapons for the deployment, with letters sent to the concerned directorates regarding the arrangements.Senior officers will remain available on the ground to respond to developments. Police have also said that any proposal to shift the demonstration to Ramlila Maidan would require a separate application and a decision by the authorities.
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