Indian police detained several demonstrators in New Delhi during a second day of Gen Z-led protests over changes to electoral rolls that activists say disenfranchise voters and favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. Around 100 protesters breached barricades and chanted for Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar to resign; several prominent activists and an independent MP were present. The Election Commission says its voter-verification drive targets duplicate or ineligible names and has ordered officials to register newly eligible or previously omitted voters. Police have charged some participants with violating bans on mass gatherings.
Gen Z-Led Protests Rock New Delhi as Police Detain Demonstrators Over Voter-Roll Changes
Demonstrators push against a police barricade during a protest demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, India, October 3, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
NEW DELHI, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Indian police detained several people in the capital on Saturday, disrupting a second day of protests led by the Gen Z-backed Cockroach Janta Party and other opposition groups objecting to recent changes in the voter rolls.
Police detain a demonstrator during a protest demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, India, October 3, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
What Happened
About 100 demonstrators breached security barricades and chanted slogans including "vote thief, leave the post" and "Gyanesh Kumar, step down" before police moved in and detained some participants, a Reuters witness said. Among those present were Independent MP Kapil Sibal, All India Students' Association president Neha Bora, and activists Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav.
Police detain a demonstrator during a protest demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, India, October 3, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Police Response And Charges
Police declined to comment on the number or identities of those detained. Authorities earlier prevented protesters from gathering on Friday, loading some into buses, and several nearby metro stations remained closed amid tightened security. Although many detained on Friday were later released, police charged several people with allegedly violating orders that ban mass gatherings in Delhi, a police source said.
Police detain demonstrators during a protest demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, India, October 3, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Protesters' Claims And Election Commission Reaction
Protesters say the nationwide voter-verification exercise launched last year has resulted in millions of eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls and that the changes favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party. "First they removed people from the voters list and now they are not letting us raise our voice against this. This is not acceptable," Neha Bora told Reuters.
Police detain a demonstrator during a protest demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, India, October 3, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Election Commission's Position: The commission says the verification drive aims to remove duplicate, deceased or otherwise ineligible voters. On Friday it directed officials to register newly eligible voters and to restore those inadvertently omitted from the rolls.
Political Context
The demonstrations are the latest in a wave of youth-led protests this year that have put unprecedented pressure on Prime Minister Modi during his 12 years in power. Protesters are also demanding the resignation of Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar; the commission has not publicly commented on those demands.
(Reporting by Saurabh Sharma in New Delhi; Writing by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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