Central Delhi was placed under tight security on Saturday, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel deployed, 57 metro stations shut, several long-distance trains cancelled and markets closed ahead of the planned demonstration.
Mobile internet services were also suspended within a 4km radius of the protest site from Friday night to Saturday night.
Delhi Police said on Friday that they had denied permission for the protest, citing a late application and CJP’s failure to comply with undertakings made during previous demonstrations. CJP leaders rejected the decision, insisting that protesting was their fundamental right.
The protest, billed by organisers as a campaign to „Save Democracy“, seeks the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a revision of voter lists that critics allege favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The demonstrations began last week after local media outlet The Indian Express reported that Kumar’s deputies had raised objections to the revision process, which saw around 130 million names removed from voter lists.
Opposition parties have accused the government of manipulating electoral rolls to its advantage, allegations denied by the Election Commission and the BJP.
