Delhi protest erupts over India voter roll purge
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
India’s opposition alliance INDIA bloc held a large “March to Delhi” protest in New Delhi on Saturday, accusing the Election Commission of unfairly revising voter rolls ahead of next year’s general election . The rally followed allegations that as many as 130 million voters, or about 15% of the electorate, were struck off the rolls without prior notice under a Special Intensive Revision plan . Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply attacked Election Commission chief Kumar at the rally, calling him Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s puppet and demanding his resignation and imprisonment . The protest also drew criticism from business groups, which said central Delhi commerce was badly disrupted on a crucial shopping weekend before Diwali .
Key Points
- The INDIA bloc mobilised supporters from Connaught Place to Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, with the march covering about 1.5 kilometres and drawing at least 50,000 people .
- Congress president Kharge and Rahul Gandhi led the procession on an open-top bus, while supporters wore anti-Modi masks and packed the route .
- Delhi authorities deployed more than 10,000 armed military and police personnel along the route as security was tightened for the demonstration .
- The controversy centres on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision, which the report said removed up to 130 million voters without notice, roughly 15% of all voters .
- The Confederation of All India Traders said the protest paralysed central Delhi, affecting 20 traditional markets and 250,000 shops, with one-day losses estimated at 100 billion to 120 billion rupees .
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the dispute matters because it combines election administration, street mobilisation and business disruption in one of Asia’s biggest economies . Any prolonged political instability in India could affect market sentiment, retail demand and broader regional confidence, especially when unrest spills into major commercial districts .