India to deploy thousands of security forces in Delhi for protest over poll chief

Authorities in India's capital Delhi are deploying thousands of police and paramilitary personnel ahead of a protest called for Saturday by the "Cockroach" youth movement to demand the elections chief quit over a revision of voter lists.

Several long-distance trains coming into Delhi were also cancelled on Friday, and 57 metro stations were closed from Friday night, authorities said after organisers said they were expecting thousands of people to join the protest.

The anger against the voter verification drive that began last year has become one of the biggest political controversies since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, and comes ahead of crucial state elections starting early next year.

Election Commission data, which is also cited by BJP, shows about 130 million names, more than the population of Japan, have been deleted from voter lists during the verification exercise, including 63 million people who had relocated, 30 million who could not be traced, and 28 million who were dead.

Youth 'No Longer Scared', cockroach movement says

Opposition parties say the voter deletions affected the outcome of some recent state elections that Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won, and have cast a shadow on the electoral process in the world's largest democracy.

The BJP says Modi's popularity and India's economic growth are some key reasons for its electoral dominance.

Thousands of police and paramilitary forces, including some from sensitive areas such as Indian Kashmir, were being sent into the capital for the protest, according to a government document seen by Reuters.

However, the Cockroach movement remained defiant.

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"The youth of this country are no longer scared of you," founder Abhijeet Dipke said in a post on X, addressing Modi ahead of the protests.

The self-named "Cockroach Janta Party", a youth movement that began as an online satire, said it wanted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign, echoing demands by the opposition parties which have been protesting almost daily since last week.

The CJP gained popularity this year after its weeks-long agitation against exam paper leaks culminated in the resignation of the education minister, dealing Modi his biggest political setback in years.

Seven states due to vote in 2027

The BJP and the commission deny allegations of election manipulation, although opposition parties say Muslim voters and other minorities, who are unlikely to support the Hindu nationalist ruling party, are disproportionately impacted by the deletions.

At least seven Indian states are due to hold elections in 2027, including Uttar Pradesh ruled by the BJP. The state is India's most populous and is considered a bellwether in national politics. Parliamentary polls are not due until 2029.

India, with at least 960 million eligible voters in 2024, began the verification effort last year ahead of elections in the eastern state of Bihar and has now covered the majority of states.

Police in the capital said the CJP did not have permission for Saturday's protest and could face legal action if protesters violated rules.

The CJP said police in several states were detaining thousands of its supporters as they headed to Saturday's protest.