Delhi woke on Monday to tight security and fresh curbs across central Delhi as the INDIA bloc prepared for its march to the Supreme Court over alleged electoral irregularities. Entry and exit restrictions were imposed at stations on the Delhi Metro network, while traffic curbs and barricades came up around parts of the national capital ahead of the protest called by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Gandhi had announced on Sunday that the march would be held on Monday, October 12, with opposition parties, civil society groups, youth and citizens walking together to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India. The heavy police deployment placed the New Delhi area under a security chokehold, with the epicentre of the protest shifting from Jantar Mantar to Connaught Place.

Why the march was called

In a post on X on Sunday, Gandhi said the march would demand an end to alleged vote theft, a halt to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Calling the protest a citizens’ movement above party, gender, caste, community and state, he said participants would march with love, brotherhood and patriotism.

Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said in Bengaluru that he and Gandhi had sought a meeting with the Chief Justice on Monday to seek his intervention on the issue. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, however, declined the INDIA bloc leaders’ request for a meeting, hours after Gandhi’s announcement.

Weekend backdrop

The march follows two days of protests called by the Cockroach Janta Party against the Chief Election Commissioner over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. Thousands of demonstrators were detained on Saturday, and around 200 more were held on Sunday at Connaught Place and other locations, even as the Supreme Court directed that Delhi Metro must function normally, internet services must remain undisturbed, and peaceful protesters must not be illegally detained.

What commuters faced

With restrictions returning to central Delhi, commuters were advised to check advisories before stepping out. The measures echoed the weekend’s security arrangement, when barricades and a large police presence prevented protesters from reaching the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar.