Delhi braces for mass Jantar Mantar rally over voter-roll revision; SC asks for transport curbs rethink

Over 23,000 police deployed in Delhi as thousands are expected at Jantar Mantar on Saturday against the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists.

Delhi has stepped up security ahead of a large planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Saturday against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, with more than 23,000 police personnel deployed across the capital.

The protest, backed by opposition parties and student groups calling themselves the "Cockroach" movement, demands the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged manipulation of voter rolls. Indian Railways has cancelled several trains serving two Delhi stations and the Delhi Metro has announced station closures for Saturday, prompting the Supreme Court to direct authorities to reconsider the transport curbs.

The SIR exercise has removed more than 130 million names nationwide so far, according to reports, triggering appeals from millions of voters and weeks of nationwide protests.