Delhi tightens security ahead of new protest against election chief

Delhi authorities imposed tight security measures ahead of a protest against the controversial revision of voter lists. Six metro stations were closed on Monday due to security concerns, and police warned of potential traffic disruptions across the city. Opposition parties and supporters of the youth movement, known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), planned to march to the Supreme Court in protest against the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, over the voter list revision.

The voter list revision, initiated last year, resulted in the removal of over 130 million names from the electoral rolls, including the deceased, relocated individuals, and untraceable people. Protesters have been demonstrating almost daily this month, demanding Kumar's resignation. Police detained thousands of protesters, including CJP leaders, as they attempted to march in protest, only to be stopped by thousands of security personnel who locked down central Delhi.

The Election Commission has denied bias towards any political party, stating that wrongly deleted voters can re-enroll. Meanwhile, the BJP accuses its rivals of attempting to undermine India's democracy by questioning the electoral process. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi requested a meeting with Chief Justice Surya Kant to discuss the issue, but the Chief Justice declined, urging Gandhi and the Congress delegation to address the matter through legal proceedings since the issue is already being heard by the court.

The youth movement, which has been mobilizing protests on various issues, including government school infrastructure and jobs, represents a significant challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP in the 12 years of his rule. Critics allege that Muslim voters and other minorities, who are less likely to support the Hindu nationalist ruling party, are disproportionately affected by the deletions. Opposition parties reject these claims, stating that the deletions are not targeted at any particular community.