In stark contrast to the 2011 Anna Andolan when protesters were allowed entry into New Delhi district to stage their protests, Delhi will turn into a fortress with over 30,000 police personnel hitting the streets ahead of the October 10 protests called by the Left student unions and the Opposition calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists and alleged vote theft.

The protesters have been at it with the Congress at the helm of protests over the last few days in locations ranging from Akashvani Bhavan to Raj Ghat and Connaught Place. MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been at the head of protests waving the tricolour, climbing gates and arguing with police personnel who were heckling them.

For tomorrow, the Delhi Police has asked the Delhi Metro to shut down 57 Metro stations from 9 pm Friday till the situation normalises. These include university stations both at Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia and their surrounding areas. Other locations include Muslim-dominated areas like Okhla Vihar, Jasola and Kalindi Kunj, and areas in Northeast Delhi.

Not just the Metro, even the Indian Railways has cancelled all trains arriving or leaving New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin for some 10 hours on Saturday from early morning till the afternoon. These are trains from Jaipur, Varanasi etc and not long haul routes.

Police has informed cab services such as Uber, Ola etc of the restrictions in Central Delhi due to the invoking of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.  So, guess you can’t Uber to the protest.

Internet outages are expected in New Delhi and Central Delhi as police usually snap mobile internet here. This assumes greater significance since Delhi Police has massively scaled up its social media presence after the July 20 violence near Jantar Mantar.

Beyond this, entry will be restricted at the city’s borders and in local areas as well to prevent groups from entering the city from nearby states and from the city into the New Delhi district. Liquor stores will be shut in the city as well.

The unprecedented shutdown indicates the readiness the Centre is willing to exhibit to take on the protesters or something else entirely. But Delhi will be a barricaded city tomorrow.

The INDIA bloc is set to intensify its protest in Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Opposition MPs expected to march to Rajghat on Thursday.

The fresh mobilisation comes a day after several Opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, were detained during protests against the Election Commission. The leaders were later released.

The Opposition has been demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over allegations linked to electoral rolls and what it has described as “vote chori”.

Opposition leaders discuss next course of action

INDIA bloc MPs met at a cafe in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the next steps in their protest. Following the meeting, the leaders were expected to proceed towards Rajghat.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted an INDIA bloc luncheon meeting on Wednesday, after which buses were arranged to transport MPs. Several Opposition leaders later staged a sit-in and raised slogans demanding the resignation of the poll body chief.

Mamata Banerjee among leaders expected to join

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is likely to be part of the Opposition’s 10-member delegation that will meet President Droupadi Murmu on Friday.

The INDIA bloc has also sought an appointment with the President. Ten Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, have been given an appointment to meet the President on Friday.

The INDIA bloc had sought a meeting with a 15-member delegation, but Rashtrapati Bhavan agreed to a 10-member delegation.

Case against Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi

The Delhi Police has registered a case against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other leaders and workers over alleged misconduct during the protests.

Police sources said the FIR alleges assaulting police personnel and obstructing government work during Wednesday’s protest.

The INDIA bloc’s agitation follows an earlier march towards the Election Commission headquarters, during which Opposition MPs demanded action over their concerns regarding electoral rolls and alleged irregularities.

Election Commission protest continues

The Opposition has announced further protests as it seeks to keep the issue in focus.

Congress has described October 8 as a “Black Day” nationwide, while Opposition MPs are continuing their campaign against the Election Commission.

The latest protest comes amid heightened security at CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Delhi residence and around the Election Commission headquarters.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the BJP over a CBI search at the residence of his officer on special duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghuman in Sangrur, alleging that central agencies are being used against political opponents ahead of elections.

Mann said the CBI action was an indication that elections were approaching and accused the BJP of using agencies such as the CBI and Enforcement Directorate against Opposition leaders or their associates.

“The CBI raid shows that elections have arrived,” Mann said.

The Punjab Chief Minister cited cases involving Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and leaders close to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while alleging that central agencies have been used ahead of elections. He also said Aam Aadmi Party leaders faced similar action before the Delhi Assembly elections.

Mann says CBI returned empty-handed

According to Mann, the CBI search at Gharachon village in Sangrur lasted nearly six hours.

The Chief Minister claimed that the agency “did not find anything” during the search and returned empty-handed. He alleged that the action was part of a BJP conspiracy to defame him and his government.

Mann also linked the CBI action to the BJP’s anti-drug campaign in Punjab and questioned the political impact of the campaign.

He alleged that the CBI action was politically motivated and intended to create a narrative against the AAP government ahead of upcoming elections.

CBI search at Mann aide’s house

Earlier, a CBI team searched the house of Mann’s OSD Rajbir Singh Ghuman in Gharachon village in Sangrur.

The search triggered a political confrontation involving the ruling AAP and Opposition parties. Representatives of Waris Punjab De and Akali Dal Punar Surjeet gathered in the village and welcomed the CBI team.

After the CBI vehicles left the area, people were seen beating dhols, performing bhangra and showering flower petals on the vehicles carrying the agency officials.

Sources cited in the report said the CBI was investigating allegations involving people accused of causing significant losses to Punjab and looting public money.

BJP hits back at Bhagwant Mann

BJP leader Tarun Chugh criticised the response to the CBI search, calling it an “extraordinary display of shamelessness”.

Taking a swipe at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Chugh said the time for political drama was over and that those responsible would have to answer for money allegedly stolen from the people of Punjab.

“Stop the drama. Let the investigation proceed and let the facts speak,” he said.