Left parties have strongly condemned the extensive restrictions and security measures implemented ahead of the October 10 demonstration against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission, while demanding that Delhi Police permit the planned protest at Jantar Mantar. In a joint statement, the political groups argued that the denial of event permission, widespread barricading, prohibitory orders, closure of numerous metro stations, cancellation of inbound trains, and reported house arrests across various regions were deliberate attempts to suppress the gathering while inconveniencing the broader public.
The joint statement, issued by the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML)-Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and All India Forward Bloc, also highlighted reports of student detentions and surveillance targeting student organization offices. The crackdown preceded a large-scale demonstration organized by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar. Urging the Union government and Delhi Police to halt the intimidation and arbitrary detention of participants, the Left leaders called for the removal of barriers to allow the assembly to proceed.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby noted that the Supreme Court had addressed challenges regarding movement restrictions in Delhi during a hearing where senior advocate Kapil Sibal represented the petitioners. According to Baby, the bench observed that although authorities retain the right to regulate movement, they cannot institute a total traffic shutdown given that workers, students, and regular citizens require transit access. The Supreme Court subsequently directed the Centre to prevent any absolute prohibition on train and metro operations to the capital, emphasizing that ordinary people should not face undue harassment even as law enforcement manages unruly crowds, while the Solicitor General agreed to consult authorities regarding an alternative designated protest location.
Describing Delhi as a city transformed by heavy barricading and security deployment into an intimidating environment, Baby stated that the Left parties would seriously address the situation and participate in the mobilization. In a parallel development, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar addressed a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the opening of Jantar Mantar, the reopening of metro stations, and the cessation of activist detentions. Kumar criticized the administration for responding to public outreach with barricades and police batons, asserting that militarizing the capital would not discourage participants.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya also criticized the government response, questioning the extent of security measures and noting that transport cancellations and closed metro stations had effectively placed the capital under a paramilitary siege. Questioning whether independent India had previously experienced such apprehension toward democratic and peaceful assembly, the signatories—including Baby, CPI general secretary D Raja, Bhattacharya, AIFB general secretary G Devarajan, and RSP general secretary Manoj Bhattacharya—reiterated their call for authorities to dismantle the curbs and permit the scheduled Jantar Mantar demonstration.