Students, farmers, civil society groups continue to protest against SIR, CEC

Around 500 protesters from students, youth, women, farmers, and civil society organisations, under the banner of ‘People Against SIR’ marched through Central Delhi on Friday (October 23, 2026), demanding the rollback of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The march was part of a series of protests held across the country against the exercise.

The Delhi Police said around 20 protesters were detained and later released, even as protesters claimed that around 50 were rounded up. Police registered at least one FIR against protesters for violating prohibitory orders under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The protesters, carrying the national flag, banners, and placards, assembled near the Gol Dak Khana roundabout at the intersection of Kali Bari Marg and Bhai Vir Singh Marg, before attempting to march towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters. Ahead of the 1 p.m. protest call, participants gathered in small groups around Bangla Sahib Gurdwara.

Political activist Yogendra Yadav, Communist Party of India leader Annie Raja, and All India Kisan Sabha vice-president Inderjeet Singh joined the march. Representatives of student organisations, including the All India Students’ Association, All India Students’ Federation, Students’ Federation of India, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan and All India Democratic Students’ Organisation, also participated.

Addressing protesters, Mr. Yadav said the movement would continue despite restrictions on demonstrations, including the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site.

“The protest will continue. If you shut down one Jantar Mantar, hundreds more will emerge. If you try to silence one person, people will not remain quiet. People and organisations may change, but the movement will go on. Until Gyanesh Kumar resigns, we will continue to protest,” he said.

Mr. Singh said the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) decided to support the movement after the protesters, particularly women, were manhandled during earlier demonstrations in Delhi.

“We are angry about what has happened to our young people, particularly the women protesters, who were pushed to the ground and had their clothes torn. Enough is enough. We will continue to support this movement until the SIR is scrapped, the right to vote is protected, and the right to protest at Jantar Mantar is restored,” he said.

Mr. Singh opposed giving police power via Special Executive Magistrates in proceedings against protesters, arguing that the arrangement concentrated too much authority in the hands of the police.

“Now they are the judge, they are the lawyers, the court itself is theirs, it is only natural that we will be declared the criminal,” he said.

Ms. Raja accused the Centre of using the SIR exercise to undermine constitutional safeguards and said the protests would continue until the CEC stepped down.

“The SIR is a tool being used by the Narendra Modi government to undermine the Constitution. The people of this country will not allow that to happen, which is why we continue to raise our voices. We have come very close to the CEC’s office today. Soon we will also reach there and ask him to get out,” she said.

“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and from the Northeast to Gujarat, people are organising their own Jantar Mantars. Even if the authorities restrict one protest site, people will find ways to make their voices heard,” she said.

Among those who joined the demonstration was Subhas Mishra, an information technology professional from Bengaluru, who came with his wife. He said citizens needed to participate in public demonstrations rather than confining political discussions to private spaces.

“I am here to support Prashant Bhushan, Abhijeet Dipke and everyone who believes in democracy. Discussions cannot remain confined to drawing rooms and WhatsApp groups. People must come out of their homes. Nothing will change if we only talk among ourselves,” he said.

“The way Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were kept in jail for a week was dictatorial. It is time for people to come out on the streets and exercise their democratic right to protest,” he added.

Barricades halt march

The protesters began marching towards the ECI but were stopped by multiple barricades and security personnel on Ashoka Road, around 500 metres into the march. They briefly sat down on the road as police personnel warned them about the prohibitory orders imposed under Section 163 of BNSS.

The police subsequently pushed the protesters back towards the main road, using whistles and repeated warnings about detention for violating the restrictions. As slogans continued, several protesters were taken away in two detention vehicles near the Gol Dak Khana roundabout.

Separately, the SKM said farmers held demonstrations at district and tehsil headquarters across the country, demanding that the SIR be scrapped and Mr. Kumar be sacked and prosecuted. Farmer delegations submitted memoranda addressed to President Droupadi Murmu through District Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Magistrates.

“In many places, police tried to stop the protests. Leaders were kept under house arrest from early morning, protesters were detained on their way, and prohibitory orders were imposed in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, [and] Haryana, particularly [in] BJP-ruled States,” the organisation said in its statement. SKM also demanded that the Delhi Police must withdraw its order that removed Jantar Mantar as a protest site.

The October 23 mobilisation followed the formation of People Against SIR last week, after an emergency consultation in Delhi attended by representatives of more than 200 organisations. The platform brings together 145 civil society groups, farmers’ unions, workers’ organisations, and women’s and youth groups across 18 States.