Indian police detained demonstrators for a third consecutive day amid protests against changes to voter rolls. Gen Z-led groups and opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar, alleging the revisions disenfranchise millions and favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party.
The protests highlight concerns over electoral integrity and potential disenfranchisement ahead of upcoming elections, raising questions about the fairness of the electoral process and the impartiality of the Election Commission.
Indian police detained demonstrators for a third consecutive day on Sunday during protests against changes to voter rolls, with Gen Z-led groups and opposition parties demanding the resignation of Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar. Thousands gathered in New Delhi and Mumbai, with opposition leaders Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray leading calls in Mumbai to scrap revisions to the electoral roll. In Delhi, police began detaining protesters as they assembled in the early evening. Police did not disclose the number of individuals detained over the three days, though dozens were taken by bus in the preceding days, with some later released and others facing charges for allegedly violating orders against mass gatherings.
Protesters contend that a nationwide voter-roll revision exercise initiated last year has disenfranchised millions by removing eligible voters, alleging these changes favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. Both the Election Commission and the BJP deny these accusations.
Raj Thackeray expressed anger at the ruling party's use of power, stating that the people, not the Election Commission, should decide who governs. The protests are expected to escalate, with opposition parties planning a march to the Election Commission office on Monday and the Gen Z Cockroach Janta Party announcing a rally for October 10.
These demonstrations are part of a series of youth-led challenges to Modi's government. In July, student protests led to the education minister's ouster after an exam paper leak.
Rim Jhim Sharma, a Delhi resident, stated before being detained that many in her locality had lost voting rights and that they were protesting to "take our India back from Modi."
Kumar has not responded to resignation demands or commented on the protests. The Election Commission maintains that the exercise aims to remove duplicate, deceased, or ineligible entries to ensure electoral integrity. On Friday, the commission instructed officials to register eligible voters who were inadvertently omitted.
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