Hundreds of security personnel were deployed in the center of the Indian capital Delhi on Tuesday ahead of a planned opposition march demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The reason is the controversial voter list revision, „Reuters“ reported, quoted by News.bg.
Barricades were set up around the Election Commission building, which is located near parliament and key government offices. Television footage showed hundreds of police and other security personnel, some of whom were armed with batons.
Authorities advised citizens to avoid areas where the demonstration was planned to pass. Some roads in the capital were closed.
The march of lawmakers from parties opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is due to start at 11 a.m. local time from parliament and reach the Election Commission headquarters, the main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, said.
The protests have also been joined by representatives of a popular youth movement known as the “Cockroaches.”
The unrest is linked to a major revision of India’s voter registration rolls. Opposition parties say the changes and voter registration procedures could benefit Narendra Modi and the BJP.
Tensions have escalated further after the Indian Express newspaper published an article in September reported internal disagreements within the Election Commission over voter lists and registration procedures. The information raised new questions about the institution's political neutrality.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has not made a personal comment on the latest allegations. The Election Commission and the ruling BJP reject the allegations.
Tuesday's demonstration is the latest in a series of almost daily protests that began last week. They include student organizations, opposition parties and the "Cockroaches" movement, with one of their main demands being Kumar's resignation.
The dispute has already reached India's Supreme Court. On Monday, the court agreed to hear legal arguments seeking its intervention in the revision of voter lists and the actions of the Election Commission chief.
After the petitioners accused the commission of bias, the court signaled that it would intervene if it found any irregularities.
“If there are decisions that are against the law... we will take care of it,” the magistrates said during the hearing.
The dispute is particularly sensitive because of the scale of India's electoral system. India has nearly a billion registered voters, and the opposition has warned that changes to the lists and registration rules could have a significant impact on future elections.