Thousands march in India's capital to demand resignation of election chief over alleged misconduct

Thousands of protesters gathered in New Delhi on Monday to demand the resignation of India's election chief over allegations of misconduct during a voter roll revision, which reportedly removed more than 133 million names from electoral lists. Critics claim the measure disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims, but election authorities assert it was aimed at eliminating duplicate, deceased, and fraudulent entries.

Opposition parties and supporters of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party protest movement took to the streets, defying a strict security clampdown to demand an end to the revision and Kumar's resignation. Protester Abhay Aryan told AFP, "You can see how big the crowd is already... the government has to listen to the voice of the people."

Election authorities have denied any wrongdoing. Thousands of security personnel were deployed in central Delhi, erecting heavy metal barricades and closing key metro stations. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of turning Delhi into a "fortress" with police everywhere. Rights advocates and critics say Modi's government has eroded democratic freedoms, citing pressure on journalists, civil society groups, and political opponents. Modi's government rejects these allegations.