Photos: Protests over voter lists escalate in India’s capital

Published On 12 Oct 202612 Oct 2026.

Key points

• Critics say the large-scale revision of electoral rolls could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
• Thousands of protesters have marched in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of India's top election official over alleged misconduct during a voter roll revision.
• More than 133 million names have been removed from voter lists since last year, according to media reports.
• The demonstrations on Monday marked the latest confrontation with authorities in the heavily fortified capital.
• Authorities deployed thousands of security personnel throughout central Delhi for a third straight day, erecting heavy metal barricades and closing key metro stations.

Meanwhile, the demonstrations on Monday marked the latest confrontation with authorities in the heavily fortified capital.

Opposition parties and supporters of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party protest movement have taken to the streets in recent days, defying a strict security clampdown to demand the administration stop deleting voters from the rolls and calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

More than 133 million names have been removed from voter lists since last year, according to media reports. Regarding 969 million residents were eligible to vote in India's 2024 polls.

Notably, the Election Commission of India. It oversees the voting process in the world's most populous nation, has denied any wrongdoing.

After a weekend in which thousands of protesters, including organisers, were detained, according to local media reports, public attention has additionally focused on the police response.

Most of those detained, including three top leaders of the Cockroach movement, have since been published.

In practice, a number of journalists covering the protests stated they were detained despite clearly displaying their press cards.

For context, the demonstrations have become a major political challenge for Modi, drawing together opposition parties, student groups and activists angered by the voter roll revision. Critics say the measure has disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims.

Election authorities say the move was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent names.

Taken together, the developments around photos: Protests over voter lists escalate in India's capital point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.