Delhi fortress ahead of CJP protest, says Jairam Ramesh; CEC resignation demanded
Synopsis
Congress’s Jairam Ramesh accused the Centre of turning Delhi into a fortress to suppress a youth-led protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar — deploying 20,000+ security personnel, shutting 45 metro gates and cancelling train services. His demand: the CEC’s resignation and suspension of the Special Intensive Revision that he says has disenfranchised over 13 crore voters.
Key Takeaways
Jairam Ramesh alleged on 10 October 2026 that New Delhi was turned into a ‘fortress’ ahead of a CJP-AISA protest at Jantar Mantar .
The Congress leader demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar , alleging he lied to the Supreme Court and followed partisan orders.
Ramesh called for suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) , claiming it disenfranchised over 13 crore voters.
Authorities deployed over 20,000 police and CAPF personnel ; entry gates at 45 Delhi Metro stations were shut from Friday night.
Train services to two major Delhi railway stations were cancelled; protest permission had not yet been granted .
The crackdown echoes security measures taken on 20 July during NEET protests, which preceded Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
Congress General Secretary and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh on Saturday, 10 October 2026, alleged that New Delhi had been turned into a fortress ahead of a proposed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and All India Students' Association (AISA) protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Ramesh claimed the Centre was rattled by young people raising concerns over their constitutional right to vote under Article 326.
Ramesh's Allegations on X
In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh wrote: “The nation's capital has been turned into a fortress. Armed security personnel are all over the place. The PM-HM duo is extremely nervous and rattled by a peaceful protest by youth deeply concerned with the planned stealing of their Constitutional right to vote guaranteed by Article 326.” The Congress leader did not mince words, directing his criticism squarely at the Prime Minister and Home Minister, whom he described as a ‘destructive duo.’
Charges Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Ramesh levelled pointed allegations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, claiming there was “incontrovertible evidence” that Kumar had “faithfully executed orders given to him” upon his appointment. He alleged that a law granting the CEC “lifelong immunity” was “bulldozed through Parliament” in December 2023, when 145 Opposition MPs had been suspended. Calling for Kumar’s immediate resignation, Ramesh said it had become “a moral imperative” given that the CEC had, in his words, “lied to the Supreme Court itself.” These are serious allegations; NationPress could not independently verify the claims.
SIR Controversy: 13 Crore Voters Allegedly Disenfranchised
Ramesh also demanded the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging the exercise had already disenfranchised over 13 crore Indians. “The suspension of the SIR that has already disenfranchised over 13 crore Indians is essential to restore public faith and trust in our election system,” he said. The SIR has been a flashpoint between the ruling dispensation and Opposition parties, who argue the revision process is being weaponised to skew voter lists ahead of upcoming elections.
Security Lockdown Across Delhi
Authorities deployed over 20,000 police personnel and members of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) across the capital to maintain order. Entry and exit gates at 45 Delhi Metro stations were shut from Friday night, and train services to two major railway stations were cancelled. Permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar had reportedly not yet been granted, prompting intensified surveillance citywide amid fears of large-scale mobilisation.
Context: July 20 Unrest and Growing Protest Fatigue
The heavy deployment draws comparisons to the security crackdown on 20 July during protests over the alleged NEET paper leak scandal, which preceded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. That episode underlined the authorities’ sensitivity to youth-led street protests. Critics argue that closing metro stations and deploying paramilitary forces against an unconfirmed protest signals disproportionate response; authorities have not formally commented on the scale of the deployment beyond confirming it. All eyes are now on whether the CJP-AISA demonstration proceeds and how the government responds.
Point of View
000-plus security personnel, closed metro gates and cancelled trains for a protest that had not even been granted permission tells its own story about the government’s threat calculus. If the CJP-AISA mobilisation were as marginal as the Centre’s silence implies, the response would be routine — it is anything but. Ramesh’s framing is shrewd: by invoking Article 326 and a 13-crore disenfranchisement figure, Congress is pitching this as a constitutional crisis, not a partisan squabble. Whether that frame sticks depends on how credibly the SIR data can be contested or verified. The NEET parallel is politically potent but imprecise — that protest had a specific, verifiable grievance; this one requires trusting Congress’s reading of electoral-roll data, which the Election Commission has not publicly accepted.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CJP protest that prompted Delhi’s security lockdown?
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the All India Students’ Association (AISA) called on supporters to gather at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of manipulation of voter lists. The protest had not received official permission as of 10 October 2026.
Why is Jairam Ramesh demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation?
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that Kumar followed partisan orders after his appointment and lied to the Supreme Court. He also cited a law passed in December 2023 — when 145 Opposition MPs were suspended — that granted the CEC lifelong immunity, calling Kumar’s resignation a ‘moral imperative.’ These are unverified allegations.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The SIR is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and revise voter lists. Congress has alleged that the current SIR process has already disenfranchised over 13 crore Indians and is demanding its immediate suspension to restore public trust in the election system.
How extensive are the security restrictions in Delhi ahead of the protest?
More than 20,000 police personnel and Central Armed Police Forces members have been deployed across Delhi. Entry and exit gates at 45 Delhi Metro stations were closed from Friday night, and train services to two major railway stations were cancelled.
How does this protest compare to the July 20 NEET protests?
The July 20 protests against the alleged NEET paper leak also drew a heavy security response in Delhi and ultimately preceded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The current situation echoes that episode in its scale of deployment, though the specific grievance here centres on electoral-roll manipulation rather than an exam scandal.
