Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delh, Nov 1: The national capital is gearing up for a massive show of opposition unity as the INDIA bloc prepares to hold a mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, November 1, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities and 'vote chori'.
Opposition leaders and supporters from several states have begun arriving in Delhi for the mobilisation, which is expected to bring together political parties, student organisations, youth groups, workers, women and civil society representatives.
The rally will be preceded by a march titled 'Chalo Dilli', which is scheduled to begin at noon from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction and culminate at Ramlila Maidan. The main rally will be held from 10 am to 5 pm. INDIA bloc leaders are expected to travel in open buses from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence to the march's starting point.
The opposition alliance has projected a turnout of up to 10 lakh people, while Delhi Police estimates that around 50,000 participants may attend. The mobilisation has also received support from student organisations and the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke. The CJP has reiterated its demand for Kumar's resignation and expressed solidarity with organisations campaigning for free and fair elections.
Preparations at Ramlila Maidan have been intensified over the past few days. A large tricolour canopy has been erected over the main stage, which will accommodate senior opposition leaders. A separate stage is being arranged for representatives of state units of INDIA bloc parties.
White canopy tents, metal barricades and temporary platforms have been installed across the venue. Trucks carrying chairs and other materials have also been arriving as organisers make arrangements for the expected gathering.
Separate entry gates and enclosures are being created for different categories of participants. Organisers have been directed to deploy volunteers for crowd management, provide drinking water and separate toilet facilities for women, and coordinate parking arrangements with the traffic police. Overnight stays at the venue have been prohibited.
According to officials, Ramlila Maidan can accommodate approximately 45,000 to 50,000 people when empty. However, the effective capacity will reduce to around 30,000 to 40,000 after accounting for chairs, enclosures and designated passageways. Additional space outside the ground will be managed to handle any crowd overflow.
Security arrangements have been significantly strengthened, with more than 4,000 police personnel and companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) being deployed along the march route and at the rally venue.
Ramlila Maidan has been divided into 14 security zones, each supervised by an officer of Assistant Commissioner of Police rank. More than 200 CCTV cameras, drones and body-worn cameras will be used for surveillance. A dedicated control room has also been established inside the venue to monitor the situation.
Traffic restrictions and diversions will remain in force across several parts of Delhi from 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Key intersections, including ITO, Delhi Gate, Rajghat, Ajmeri Gate and Turkman Gate, are expected to witness diversions.
Commuters have been advised to avoid Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Minto Road and Desh Bandhu Gupta Road during the event. Special arrangements will be made to facilitate the movement of ambulances and emergency vehicles towards Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital and GB Pant Hospital.
Passengers travelling to New Delhi Railway Station have also been advised to plan their journeys in advance to avoid inconvenience.
Delhi Police has confirmed that permission has been granted for the rally at Ramlila Maidan. However, officials said no formal application had been received for the proposed procession from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction. Police have clarified that the rally permission remains valid, subject to the stipulated conditions.
Symbolic public impeachment of CEC
The rally follows a symbolic 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar organised by the INDIA bloc on Saturday at Kharge's residence in New Delhi.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the proceedings, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge moved a resolution listing six allegations against the CEC. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi delivered the concluding remarks before the resolution was adopted.
The proceedings were organised in the format of a parliamentary debate, with opposition leaders, civil society representatives and people claiming to have been affected by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls participating.
The resolution accused Kumar of allegedly facilitating electoral manipulation, large-scale deletion of voters' names and compromising the independence of the Election Commission. It called for his removal from office.
However, the exercise was symbolic and did not constitute a formal constitutional impeachment process.
The INDIA bloc has been conducting a series of protests under its 'Vote Chori' campaign, alleging that the Election Commission has facilitated large-scale deletion of voters' names through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Opposition parties have also approached President Droupadi Murmu and the Supreme Court, seeking intervention over the alleged irregularities and raising concerns about the independence and functioning of the Election Commission.
Sunday's rally is expected to mark a major escalation in the Opposition's campaign against the Election Commission, with the INDIA bloc seeking to turn the issue of alleged voter deletions into a nationwide political movement.