New Delhi: Authorities in India's capital, New Delhi, have closed entry and exit facilities at six metro stations ahead of a planned opposition march to the Supreme Court over alleged irregularities in the country's electoral rolls. The closures are in place from 6 am to 4 pm on Monday, with interchange facilities remaining available at the affected stations.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said the restrictions were imposed for security reasons. The six stations are Patel Chowk, Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat and Barakhamba Road. Police have also announced traffic restrictions and diversions across several parts of the capital.
The measures come as the Congress party and its opposition allies prepare to march towards the Supreme Court to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The proposed march is scheduled to begin at around 1.30 pm from the Connaught Place and Barakhamba Road junction.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called on opposition parties, civil society groups and supporters of democracy to join the demonstration. The opposition plans to submit a memorandum to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, raising concerns about the revision of voter lists and what it describes as electoral irregularities.
The latest restrictions follow several days of protests in Delhi over a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls that began in 2025. The exercise has triggered a political dispute over the removal of names from voter lists and whether eligible citizens have been unfairly excluded from the electoral process.
According to reports, more than 130 million names have been removed from the electoral rolls during the revision. The reported categories include about 28 million names recorded as belonging to deceased people, 63 million associated with people who had relocated and 30 million belonging to people who could not be traced.
These three categories account for approximately 121 million names, leaving a difference of around nine million from the reported overall figure. A complete breakdown of the total has not been established in the available reporting.
Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of failing to protect eligible voters and have alleged that the revision disproportionately affects minority communities. They argue that wrongful deletions could undermine public confidence in India's electoral system and have demanded accountability from the country's election authorities.
The Election Commission has denied favouring any political party and maintains that the revision is intended to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls. It has also said that voters whose names were wrongly removed can apply to register again through the prescribed procedures. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has rejected the opposition's allegations, accusing its political rivals of undermining confidence in legitimate electoral processes.
The protests have also led to confrontations between demonstrators and police. Thousands of people were detained during demonstrations over the weekend, including leaders associated with the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth movement opposing the voter list revision.
The movement's leaders, Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were subsequently released, according to reports. Earlier demonstrations on October 10 prompted wider restrictions on public movement and transport, including closures affecting dozens of metro stations and interruptions to internet services. Some of those restrictions were later eased.
The Supreme Court has intervened in the dispute over restrictions imposed during the protests. On Sunday, October 11, the court directed authorities to ensure that metro and railway services operate normally, internet connectivity remains undisturbed and people are allowed to move freely in accordance with the law. It also said peaceful, unarmed protesters should not be detained except according to the procedure established by law.
However, the six metro station closures announced for Monday have renewed questions about how security measures are being applied while protests continue. The latest restrictions are narrower than the extensive closures reported during the earlier demonstrations.
Chief Justice Surya Kant declined a request to meet Rahul Gandhi and the Congress delegation, according to reports. The opposition was advised to pursue its concerns through formal judicial procedures because the matter was already before the court. The refusal to hold a meeting does not amount to a ruling that the opposition's allegations are either proven or unfounded.
The developments have intensified scrutiny of the Election Commission's voter verification process and the government's handling of demonstrations. The authorities face the challenge of maintaining public order while ensuring that restrictions do not unnecessarily disrupt ordinary life or prevent peaceful protests.
The outcome of Monday's planned march and any further directions from the Supreme Court or statements from the Election Commission could shape the next stage of the dispute. For now, the controversy remains centred on the fairness of voter registration, the rights of eligible citizens and public confidence in India's electoral process.