New Delhi protests over voter roll deletions grow as police detain journalists and cut internet

Demonstrators demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a revision critics say has dropped more than 130 million names from draft rolls

By LineZotpaper

Published16 October 2026

Read Time2 min

For almost two weeks, demonstrators have taken to the streets of New Delhi demanding the resignation of India's chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, in a movement triggered by an electoral roll revision that critics say has stripped more than 130 million names from the draft voting register.

Police have arrested journalists, shut down the internet and targeted the social media accounts of protest groups and independent media in response to the gatherings. They have also blockaded central Delhi and detained demonstrators to prevent groups from assembling in one location. The detentions have triggered accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is stifling dissent.

The rallies are being spearheaded by the opposition Congress party, the All India Students Association and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), and organisers say they are likely to have a long tail.

The dispute dates to June last year, when the Election Commission announced it would revise its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar ahead of the state election. The SIR, which dates to the 1950s, was a relatively routine exercise to keep electoral rolls up to date by removing deceased voters, duplicate registrations and ineligible entries.

The commission changed how voters were verified, requiring anyone enrolled to vote after 2003 to provide documents proving their date and place of birth. The revision has since been running for more than 18 months and now covers most Indian states.

Critics allege the mass deletion of names includes many people who are not typical BJP voters, and that the new requirements place a disproportionate burden of proof on migrants, elderly voters and millions of Indians living in poverty who may struggle to find family records. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi last year called the SIR "a new weapon for vote theft".

The Election Commission has said its draft roll and corrections are being made to include eligible voters.

Kumar, a 62-year-old career bureaucrat, was controversially appointed chief election commissioner in February last year. He is one of three election commissioners overseeing India's elections.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The scale of the deletions, more than 130 million names from the draft roll in the world's largest electorate, makes the credibility of India's electoral machinery a question of global significance.
The demonstrations and the government's response will shape how trusted India's coming elections are seen to be, at home and abroad.
Sustained street protests over election administration are rare in India and could shift political momentum well before polling day.

Background

India's Election Commission is a constitutionally independent body responsible for running elections across the country. The Special Intensive Revision process dates to the 1950s and was traditionally a routine administrative exercise to keep electoral rolls accurate. The current controversy centres on a change to verification rules introduced last June, requiring voters enrolled after 2003 to produce documents proving their date and place of birth, a requirement critics say is difficult for many poorer and older citizens to meet.

Key Perspectives

Opposition parties and student groups: The revision is a political weapon that disproportionately removes voters unlikely to support the ruling BJP, and they are demanding the chief election commissioner's resignation. Election Commission: The SIR is a routine housekeeping exercise to remove deceased and duplicate voters, and the draft roll will be corrected to include eligible citizens. Government and police: The demonstrations have been treated as a law and order problem, with internet shutdowns, blockades and arrests used to prevent gatherings, though the detentions have fuelled accusations that dissent is being stifled.

What to Watch

Whether the protest movement spreads beyond New Delhi as the revision process expands to more states.
Any announcement by the Election Commission on restoring deleted names or softening the new documentary requirements.
Any further escalation in the government's crackdown, or a decision by officials to negotiate with protest leaders.

Sources

Indian voting changes sparking gen Z anger on the streets — Just In