Hundreds of students, farmers, and civil society activists marched through Central Delhi on October 23, 2026, demanding the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest, organized under the banner “People Against SIR,” brought together representatives from student bodies such as the All India Students’ Association and the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation, along with leaders like Yogendra Yadav, Annie Raja, and Inderjeet Singh of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. Around 500 participants assembled near the Gol Dak Khana roundabout before attempting to march toward the Election Commission of India headquarters, but were stopped by barricades and detained by police.
Delhi Police reported that about 20 protesters were detained and later released, while demonstrators claimed approximately 50 were rounded up. At least one FIR was registered under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita for violating prohibitory orders. Protesters emphasized that the SIR process disenfranchised thousands, with over 76,000 inclusion applications rejected and net additions to electoral rolls remaining minimal compared to deletions, casting doubt on the fairness of the final rolls slated for publication on October 27.
Yogendra Yadav affirmed the movement would persist despite restrictions, including the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, stating, “Until Gyanesh Kumar resigns, we will continue to protest.” Inderjeet Singh condemned the mistreatment of women protesters and called for the restoration of protest rights at Jantar Mantar, while urging citizens to move beyond private discussions and engage directly in democratic action.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha extended its support, organizing demonstrations across district and tehsil headquarters in multiple states, and submitted memoranda to President Droupadi Murmu demanding the scrapping of the SIR and prosecution of the CEC. Police actions, including detentions and house arrests, were reported in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, particularly in BJP-ruled regions.
