An unprecedented security clampdown has been imposed across New Delhi ahead of a planned protest on Saturday. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in a force of 25,000, and entry and exit gates at 57 metro stations have been shut. Mobile internet services will be suspended within a four‑kilometre radius of the protest site from 10 pm on 9 October to 10 pm on 10 October.
The crackdown follows Delhi Police’s denial of permission to the Cockroach Janta Party to stage a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The group’s application was lodged only three days before the event, short of the required 10‑day notice, and police cited violations of rules during a July protest by the same group. The demonstration is aimed at Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in voter‑roll revisions and the alteration of Form 6.
Transport disruptions accompany the security measures. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has advised commuters to check official announcements, noting that interchange facilities will remain open except at New Delhi station. Northern Railway has cancelled 38 trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin between 4 am and 2 pm on 10 October, including the Magadh Express and the Tejas Rajdhani Express, while services at other stations remain normal.
Additional security actions include the closure of liquor shops on 9 and 10 October, intensified checks at borders, railway stations, bus terminals, hotels, and dharamshalas, and the installation of extra cameras. Vehicle entry into New Delhi may be restricted after 6 am on Saturday, and the Indira Gandhi International Airport will be under heightened surveillance.
Police are monitoring social media, with more than 200 content creators scrutinised for posts related to mobilisation, and are issuing appeals for peace from mosques and temples. About 120 Central Armed Police Force companies are expected to participate, and mock drills have already been conducted to prepare for any crowd build‑up or traffic obstruction on Saturday.
