Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; New Delhi, October 2: The protest has been planned at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with the Aam Aadmi Party and Kakaroch Janata Party among those associated with the demonstration. In view of the planned protest and the heightened security arrangements in the national capital, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has ordered the closure of entry and exit at 11 metro stations in and around central Delhi.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Friday shut the entry and exit gates of several stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Patel Chowk, which is located close to the Jantar Mantar area. The restrictions have been imposed as a precautionary security measure in view of the protest programme and will remain in force until further instructions.

According to a post issued by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on X, entry and exit have been closed at Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi metro stations. However, the DMRC clarified that interchange facilities will continue to be available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, New Delhi and Central Secretariat stations, allowing passengers to change metro lines even though entry and exit at these stations remain restricted.

The protest at Jantar Mantar has been organised in opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and to demand accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The proposed demonstration has prompted authorities to strengthen security arrangements across the New Delhi area, particularly around Jantar Mantar and other important locations in central Delhi.

Several political and student organisations are expected to participate in the protest. The Aam Aadmi Party, the Left-backed student organisation All India Students’ Association, or AISA, the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India, or NSUI, and the Indian Youth Congress are among those associated with the demonstration.

Security restrictions have also been put in place in the New Delhi district. New Delhi DCP Sachin Sharma said that Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, or BNSS, is currently in force in the New Delhi area. According to the police, protests, marches and similar gatherings are not permitted under the prevailing restrictions.

The DCP further said that security arrangements have been strengthened in view of the planned protest at Jantar Mantar. Additional security measures have been taken to prevent any disruption and to maintain public order around the protest site and adjoining areas.

The closure of entry and exit at 11 metro stations is expected to affect commuters travelling through central Delhi, particularly those heading towards government offices, commercial areas and major transport interchanges. While passengers will be able to use interchange facilities at four stations, commuters have been advised to take the restrictions into account while planning their journeys.

The developments come amid a wider political mobilisation over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties and organisations participating in the demonstration have raised questions over the electoral revision process and are seeking accountability from the Election Commission. Authorities, meanwhile, have focused on maintaining law and order in the national capital and preventing any unauthorised gathering or procession.

With security tightened and restrictions imposed around central Delhi, the Jantar Mantar protest has led to significant changes in metro operations in the area. The DMRC’s decision to close entry and exit at 11 stations, while retaining interchange facilities at selected stations, forms part of the security arrangements being implemented in the capital during the protest.