Delhi Police detain protesters during anti-SIR march towards Election Commission

Delhi: Delhi Police detained several protesters on Friday as a march against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls moved towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in central Delhi. Police personnel stopped the march amid restrictions on public gatherings under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The march, called by the Delhi Coordination Committee of People Against SIR, began near Gole Dak Khana, at the intersection of Kalibari Marg and Bhai Vir Singh Marg. Participants carried the national flag and banners demanding an end to the electoral roll revision exercise.

Protesters raised slogans including “Gyanesh Kumar, resign”, “Halt SIR” and “Won't tolerate vote theft”. They alleged that the exercise had led to the deletion of numerous voters from electoral rolls.

When police stopped the march, protesters sat down and held a “People’s Parliament”, an alternative programme announced by the organisers in anticipation of restrictions on the procession.

“This is not about reclaiming Jantar Mantar; this is about saving democracy and the country,” a protester said.

Security was tightened across central Delhi, with Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel deployed in large numbers.

Student groups, farmers and activists join protest

The demonstration brought together students, young people, farmers and civil-society members from Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat attended the protest, alongside members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) and the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO).

The Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) had also extended their support to the march.

Participants criticised the restrictions on designated protest sites, arguing that demonstrations should remain possible even after Jantar Mantar was denotified as a protest location.

One protester said that if Jantar Mantar could no longer serve as a protest site, streets across the country would become places of public dissent.

People Against SIR announces demonstrations in 88 cities

The Delhi march is part of a broader mobilisation organised by People Against SIR, a collective campaigning against the electoral roll revision exercise.

According to the collective, demonstrations have been planned in 88 cities across 18 states, involving 145 organisations. The programmes are scheduled to take place from Friday until November 1.

The collective has launched a website providing information about demonstrations in different cities. Organisers have appealed to farmers, workers, young people, women and other sections of society to participate in the campaign while carrying the national flag.

The Delhi programme was expected to conclude with the adoption of resolutions and the singing of the national anthem.

The protests centre on allegations that the SIR exercise risks excluding eligible voters from electoral rolls. Organisers have called for the exercise to be halted and for accountability from the Election Commission. These allegations form part of the wider political dispute over the revision process.

Background: Opposition to the Special Intensive Revision

The Special Intensive Revision is an Election Commission exercise aimed at reviewing and updating electoral rolls. The process has drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil-society organisations, which have raised concerns about the possible exclusion of eligible voters.

Opposition leaders and protest organisers have alleged that the revision could result in the deletion of legitimate voters from electoral rolls. They have demanded greater transparency, safeguards against wrongful deletions and a halt to the exercise.

The Election Commission's electoral roll revision process has become a wider political flashpoint, with disagreements over voter verification, inclusion and deletion procedures, and the accountability of election officials.

Friday's demonstration reflects the growing mobilisation against SIR, with student organisations, farmers' groups and civil-society collectives coordinating protests across multiple states. The organisers have framed the campaign as a defence of voting rights and democratic participation, while authorities have imposed restrictions on gatherings in central Delhi.