The key facts

  • Since last weekend, protests by the 'Suvarka of the People's Party' (CJP) movement have continued in New Delhi; 35,000 police officers have been mobilized to suppress them.
  • According to the Indian Express, more than 130 million names have been removed from the electoral rolls: 28 million deceased, 63 million relocated, and 30 million with unverified addresses.
  • The opposition claims a disproportionate impact on minorities; the election commission and the ruling BJP reject the accusations and speak of a 'foreign hand'.

Protests in New Delhi and the movement's demands

Protests by the youth movement 'Suvarka of the People's Party' (CJP), continuing in New Delhi since last weekend, have reached a decisive phase. To suppress them, 35,000 police officers have been mobilized in the capital. Earlier, the movement secured the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and now it has launched a campaign against election commission chief Gyanesh Kumar. For the first time, the 'Suvarka' demands have been openly supported by the Indian National Congress party and the opposition INDIA alliance led by Rahul Gandhi.

Removal of 130 million voters from the rolls

The new protests began after a publication in the Indian Express, in which two deputy chiefs of the election commission expressed a number of concerns about changes to the voter rolls, registration procedures, and digital systems. As a result of changes carried out since last year, more than 130 million names have been removed from the rolls — more than the population of Japan. Among those removed: 28 million deceased, 63 million who moved elsewhere, and 30 million people whose address could not be verified.

Mutual accusations between authorities and opposition

Opposition parties claim that the changes disproportionately affect Muslims and other minority groups which, in their view, are less likely to vote for the ruling party that supports Hindu nationalism. The election commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party reject these accusations. According to their version, the sudden attack on the commission and its chief Gyanesh Kumar is aimed at casting doubt on the legitimacy of Narendra Modi's victory in the 2024 elections. Against this backdrop, representatives of the ruling party began speaking of a 'foreign hand' in the October protests. In the last general elections, the BJP retained its majority in parliament, and Narendra Modi, who has led the government since 2014, was re-elected for a new term.