On October 3rd, local time, protests against the change in the voter list in New Delhi, the capital of India, entered their second day. The police once again took action to detain protesters.
According to Reuters, about 100 protesters removed the security barriers that day and shouted slogans such as "Ticket thieves, get off the stage" and "Jainesh Kumar, step down from the stage". Subsequently, the police forcibly detained some of the protesters.
This protest is supported by the “Crescent Moon People’s Party” led by the “Generation Z” group, as well as other opposition groups. The protesters believe that the change in the electorate list benefits the ruling party led by Indian Prime Minister Modi, and they have demanded the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner Jaswant Kaura.
According to reports, protests were attended by independent legislator Kapil Sibal, the president of the All India Students’ Federation Nikhil Borra, and political activists Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav.
Bora told Reuters: "They first remove people from the voter list, and now they don’t allow us to speak about this matter. This is unacceptable."
Currently, Kumar has not commented on the protests or the demands for his resignation. The police have also refused to disclose the number and identities of the individuals who were detained that day.
On October 3, 2026, in New Delhi, India, protesters pushed through police barriers during a protest calling for the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner Kumar. Reuters
The day before, the police also prevented protesters from gathering and led them onto buses. Despite strict security measures, several nearby subway stations remained closed. A source familiar with the situation said that although many of the people who were detained were released on October 2nd, several others remain charged for allegedly violating New Delhi’s orders banning large-scale gatherings.
Critics say that the nationwide voter verification campaign launched in India last year resulted in the deletion of millions of eligible voters from the voter list. The Indian election authorities stated that the campaign was aimed at removing duplicate registrations, deceased voters, and those who were not eligible to vote. They recently instructed officials to register new voters who have gained the right to vote, as well as those who were previously omitted from the voter list.
The Indian "Rat People's Party" emerged in May this year as a satirical online movement. It later led a youth protest that lasted several weeks, focusing on issues related to exam cheating. The party demanded the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
57-year-old Pradhan is a key figure in Modi’s Indian People’s Party. He was once regarded as a rising star within the party, and even in his early years, he was considered a potential candidate for the future leader of the People’s Party.
Reuters reported that this street protest, which has been the largest in India in recent years, has turned into a major political trigger, posing a severe challenge to Modi.
Ultimately, the Modi government made a rare concession, and Prada resigned in July. After that, members of the ‘ Cockroach People's Party’ continued their activities across India, inspecting public schools and urging local governments to address relevant issues.
