The Congress on Saturday alleged that the leadership duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah was extremely nervous and rattled by a peaceful youth protest, adding that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation had become a moral imperative. The party also demanded the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision, claiming the process had already disenfranchised nearly 14 crore Indians and that halting it was vital to restore public faith in the electoral system. These remarks arrived on the same day the Cockroach Janta Party planned to lead a demonstration at Jantar Mantar against the CEC.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh stated that the national capital had been transformed into a fortress with armed security personnel deployed across the city. Ramesh accused the top leadership of being deeply unsettled by young citizens who are concerned about the planned undermining of their constitutional right to vote under Article 326. He further alleged there was incontrovertible evidence that the CEC had faithfully executed directives from the central leadership following his appointment.
Ramesh pointed to a December 2023 parliamentary move where a law granting the CEC lifelong immunity was passed while numerous opposition members were suspended. He asserted that the resignation of the CEC, who he accused of misleading the Supreme Court, is an essential first step toward reclaiming the foundations of Indian democracy, particularly for the youth. The opposition leader emphasized that suspending the ongoing revision is necessary to recover public trust in elections.
The Cockroach Janta Party organized the demonstration to protest alleged voter-list manipulation during the electoral roll revision and modifications involving Form 6 registration documents. A day prior to the planned event, Delhi Police detained approximately 150 demonstrators attempting to march toward Jantar Mantar. Authorities deployed heavy security measures throughout the New Delhi district, utilizing drones to monitor crowd movements.
Police denied permission for the Jantar Mantar demonstration, citing security concerns and procedural guidelines, and increased surveillance across the city to maintain public order. Through these developments, the Congress party intensified its criticism of the central administration and the election oversight body, while law enforcement moved to block unauthorized gatherings in the capital amid ongoing disputes over electoral roll changes.