India opposition parties march to Supreme Court against election chief

Election Commission data shows 130 million names deleted from electoral rolls

Hundreds of opposition party demonstrators marched to India's Supreme Court on Monday to protest the removal of millions of names from voter ‌lists that has sparked days of unrest in the Indian capital and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Opposition parties and supporters of the "cockroach" youth movement have taken to the streets almost daily this month to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision that critics say benefits Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The change that started last year led to over ​130 million names – more than the population of Japan – being struck from voter lists, including 28 million who had died, 63 million who ​had relocated, and 30 million who could not be traced.

Police detained thousands of protesters over the weekend, including leaders of the 'Cockroach ⁠Janta Party' (CJP), as supporters of the youth movement sought to march in protest and were stopped by thousands of security personnel who locked down central Delhi.

The ​Election Commission has denied favouring any party and said wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol, while the BJP has accused its rivals of trying to undermine the country's ​democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes.

Opposition parties are marching to the Supreme Court to file a petition over the voter list revision after Chief Justice Surya Kant declined their request for a meeting.

Kant said the issues were already before the court and discussing pending cases would violate judicial ethics and propriety, and suggested the opposition file a petition instead.

Hundreds ​of people, including opposition party members and left-wing student groups, marched to the court on Monday, while leaders travelled by bus.

"The fundamental values of this country are ​being assaulted, institutions are losing their independence...I am here to protest against this assault," said Anirudh Siyag, a PhD student who joined the protest.

Authorities closed six metro stations for ‌10 hours ⁠and restricted traffic along over 20 stretches in anticipation of the demonstration.

Hundreds of security personnel in anti-riot gear were also deployed in central Delhi, with key roads barricaded and water cannons on standby.

New sites for protests

The BJP said the protests were the main opposition Congress party's attempt to seize power.

"By discrediting constitutional institutions, spreading chaos and riots on the streets, and attacking people in the name of politics, all it seeks is a return to power," Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ​told reporters.

Delhi Police announced that Jantar Mantar ​in the central business district was ⁠no longer designated as an official protest site and three new venues had been identified, according to an official order seen by Reuters.

CJP supporters had staged a sit-in for weeks earlier this year at Jantar Mantar, a historic observatory ​and a well-known protest site for decades, to force Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to quit over exam paper leaks.

Separately, CJP ​leaders met Delhi Police ⁠to "demand" a date for a peaceful protest, threatening to announce a new protest call if a date is not given within 24 hours.

The youth movement, which has mobilised protests in recent months against issues ranging from government school infrastructure to jobs, is one of the biggest political challenges to Modi and his BJP in his 12 years ⁠in power.

The ​protests erupted after the Indian Express newspaper reported last month that Kumar's two deputies raised ​several concerns internally about voter list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems.

Opposition parties allege Muslim voters and other minorities, who are unlikely to support the Hindu nationalist ruling party, are disproportionately affected by ​the deletions – charges both the poll panel and BJP reject.

Metro stations closed 

Authorities closed six metro stations and warned of traffic disruptions in Delhi ​on Monday, as opposition parties planned to march to the Supreme Court in protest against a controversial revision of ‌voter lists that has sparked days of unrest in the Indian capital.

Opposition parties and supporters of the "cockroach" youth movement have taken to the streets almost daily this month to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision that critics say benefits Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata ​Party (BJP).

Read More: India sees major protest against election chief

The revision that started last year saw over 130 million names – more than the population of Japan – being deleted ​from voter lists, including the dead, the relocated and people who could not be traced.

Police detained thousands of protesters in ⁠Delhi over the weekend, including leaders of the 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP), as supporters of the youth movement sought to march in protest ​and were stopped by thousands of security personnel who locked down central Delhi.

Also Read: Indian police detain 'cockroach' movement founder Abhijeet Dipke

The Election Commission has denied favouring any party and said ​wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol, while the BJP has accused its rivals of trying to undermine the country's democracy by wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes.

Six metro stations were closed on Monday for "security reasons", and police imposed traffic restrictions and diversions along over 20 stretches.

The main opposition Congress party announced a march ​to the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice demanding an end to what it calls "vote theft" and Kumar's ​resignation.

Yesterday, the nation's young came out in Delhi to peacefully protest. They came with love in their hearts, not hatred or anger. They were beaten, both by cops and BJP goons.

This is not the India we want.

Tomorrow, we will march to the Supreme Court as Indians, united beyond… pic.twitter.com/zQJLFbpebV

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 11, 2026

"Youth, all opposition parties, civil society groups, all those who believe in democracy and stand by the Constitution of India, will walk with us," ‌Congress ⁠leader Rahul Gandhi said on X.

Cockroach movement to seek permission for new protest

Chief Justice Surya Kant, however, declined the meeting request in an email, saying Gandhi and the Congress delegation should instead approach the court legally since the issue is already being heard by the court and should be addressed through judicial proceedings, a Congress source said.

Separately, the CJP said its leaders would meet Delhi Police ​to "demand" a date for a peaceful ​protest. It has threatened ⁠to announce a new protest call if a date is not given within 24 hours.

🚨 Important

Tomorrow at 10 AM, @AshutoshRanka, @SauravDassss, @whattalawyer, along with other CJP leaders, will visit Parliament Street Police Station to demand a date for our peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar.@DelhiPolice can give us a date within 24 hours, or we will…

— Cockroach Janta Party - CJP (@Cockroachisback) October 11, 2026

The youth movement, which has mobilised protests in recent months against issues ranging from government school infrastructure to jobs, is ​one of the biggest political challenges to Modi and his BJP in his 12 years ​in power.

The protests erupted ⁠after the Indian Express newspaper reported last month that Kumar's two deputies raised several concerns internally about voter list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems.

Election Commission data shows about 130 million names have been deleted from electoral rolls during the verification exercise, including 28 million ⁠people who ​had died, 63 million who had relocated and 30 million who could not ​be traced.

Opposition parties allege Muslim voters and other minorities, who are unlikely to support the Hindu nationalist ruling party, are disproportionately affected by the deletions – charges both ​the poll panel and BJP reject.