The Delhi High Court on Friday, 9 October 2026, denied an urgent hearing requested by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar. Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma declined to list the matter, stating that the case would be considered on Monday, 12 October. The IYC had sought the court’s intervention to allow demonstrators to voice concerns over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In the days leading up to the planned demonstration, Delhi Police intensified measures to curb gatherings. Police officers visited mosques and markets in Old Delhi, invoking Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to discourage participation. The Excise Department also ordered the closure of liquor shops for 9 and 10 October to preserve public order amid the mounting protests. Police officials held meetings with residents and used loudspeakers to announce the prohibitory orders around Jantar Mantar.
Opposition parties have mobilised large crowds for the October 10 protest. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and the Indian National Congress have called for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged vote‑theft allegations. Additional security forces, including 7,000 CRPF personnel, have been redeployed to Delhi, and the CEC’s personal protection has been upgraded to Z+ status with extra troops positioned outside his residence.
Political leaders have weighed in on the escalating tensions. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the heavy security deployment as evidence of panic, while BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar vowed to question the legitimacy of the Kerala Assembly over the SIR controversy. Meanwhile, CPI(M) MP John Brittas accused the government of targeting students and the Muslim community, and the “Lal Hit Janata Party” staged a demonstration in central Delhi to denounce abusive language used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These developments underscore a volatile political climate as the protest date approaches.
