Armed Forces Deployed, Trains Halted: Delhi Authorities Prepare For Oct 10 Protest

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Saturday, October 10, is the day that the Cockroach Janta Party's call for protest against the Chief Election Commissioner is set to come to fruition.

With just a day left for the movement to begin, authorities in Delhi have been making multiple arrangements, expecting a large number of people to turn up, and planning for "unruly mobs".

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India's verification exercise of its nearly one billion voters has sparked protests across the country, with opposition parties alleging the removal of 130 million names from electoral rolls has unfairly benefited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party.

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Opposition parties and the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party are demanding the ouster of Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar and have vowed a huge protest in the capital Delhi on Saturday.

Election Commission data cited by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party shows about 130 million names, more than the population of Japan, have been deleted from electoral rolls during the verification exercise, including 63 million people who had relocated and 30 million who could not be traced.

As developments move rapidly, here's a quick look at some of the major events taking place around the protest and how Indian authorities inted to manage it:

Armed personnel deployment

According to local media reports, around 23,000 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and 7,000 personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have been made available to the Delhi Police for deployment between October 8 and 12.

Metro, train movement

Fifty-seven Delhi Metro staations would be restricted, with the frequency of Metro trains passing and the entry/exit gates being possibly closed from 9am on October 9, until the situation normalises, the Delhi Police said in a letter to the Metro authority.

All mail and/or express trains to New Delhi and Nizamuddin Railway Station also stand cancelled.

The Supreme Court, however, said that there should be no complete prohibition on the movement of Metro trains. It directed authorities to reconsider the restrictions and allow Metro and other train services to operate in a regulated manner, keeping in mind the principle of proportionality and avoiding inconvenience to Delhi residents.

The Court also directed that the revised restrictions and advisories be given due publicity through newspapers, official websites and other platforms so that commuters are aware of barricades, restrictions and alternate routes.

Section 163 imposed

Section 163 BNSS, similar to the earlier Section 144 of the CrPC, has been enforced around the Jantar Mantar area. The order gives authorities power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger.

This order allows authorities to ban gatherings of 4 or 5 or more people, public meetings, processions, rallies, carrying weapons or sharp objects, or use of loudspeakers and internet services.

Delhi Police refuse permission

Delhi Police have meanwhile denied the Cockroach Janta Party the permission to protest on Saturday, saying that they had applied for permission too late. The organisers and participants could face legal action if protesters violated rules, police emphasised in a statement to the media.

Abhijeet Dipke, the leader of India's youth movement, however, said the protest would go ahead anyway despite the detentions of followers he estimated to run into the thousands.

The Supreme Court has also asked organisers of protests to move an urgent plea on issues directly concerning the right to protest and restrictions imposed on protesters.

[With inputs from Reuters]

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