The INDIA bloc is gearing up for a major show of strength at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, November 1, with opposition leaders, party workers, student groups and civil society representatives expected to assemble to protest alleged electoral irregularities, oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.The mobilisation, being organised under the banner of 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao', will begin with a march from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction to Ramlila Maidan at noon, followed by a rally scheduled between 10 am and 5 pm.Senior INDIA bloc leaders are expected to travel in open buses from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence to the march's starting point.Preparations at the venue have gathered pace, with a large tricolour canopy erected over the main stage for senior opposition leaders and a separate stage being arranged for representatives of INDIA bloc state units. White canopy tents, barricades, temporary platforms and designated enclosures are also being put in place.Organisers have been asked to arrange drinking water, separate toilets for women and volunteers to assist with crowd management.MASSIVE PARTICIPATION EXPECTED The rally is expected to draw participation from across the country.
The Indian Youth Congress has said it expects more than 20,000 workers to attend, with its national president Uday Bhanu Chib and national in-charge Manish Sharma calling for accountability from the Election Commission.Sharma said, "Vote chori is not merely a political issue; it concerns the fundamental democratic right of every citizen".Congress workers from Jammu and Kashmir have also begun travelling to Delhi.JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said thousands of party workers from the Union territory would participate, alleging that constitutional institutions were under pressure and emphasising the need to safeguard democratic rights and electoral transparency.The mobilisation has also received support from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led outfit founded by Abhijeet Dipke, and student organisations.The INDIA bloc has appealed to students, youth, women, workers and civil society members to join the demonstration.ELABORATE SECURITY ARRANGEMENTSSecurity arrangements will be extensive, with more than 4,000 police personnel and companies of the Central Armed Police Forces deployed along the march route and at the venue.Ramlila Maidan has been divided into 14 security zones, each supervised by an assistant commissioner-rank officer.More than 200 CCTV cameras, drones and body-worn cameras will monitor the gathering, while a control room has been established inside the ground.Although organisers have indicated expectations of up to 10 lakh participants, Delhi Police estimates a turnout of around 50,000.Officials said the ground can accommodate 45,000-50,000 people when empty, but its effective capacity would fall to approximately 30,000-40,000 with chairs, enclosures and passageways. Additional space will be kept available to manage crowd spillover.Traffic restrictions will remain in force across parts of Delhi between 10 am and 5 pm, with diversions planned around ITO, Delhi Gate, Rajghat, Ajmeri Gate and Turkman Gate.Meanwhile, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has appealed to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi to intervene and seek postponement of the rally until after Diwali.Traders have warned that traffic restrictions could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore across nearly 20 major markets in the capital.The November 1 mobilisation is expected to intensify the INDIA bloc's campaign against alleged 'vote chori' and the SIR exercise.Opposition leaders are likely to use the platform to renew their demand for electoral transparency and Kumar's resignation, setting the stage for further political confrontation over the conduct of electoral roll revisions and the independence of the Election Commission.- Ends