Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Leaders Slam Train Cancellations Ahead of Jantar Mantar Protest
The Cockroach Janta Party planned a protest in Delhi on October 10.
It wants Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over alleged problems with voter lists.
Some trains due to arrive in Delhi were cancelled, and police asked the metro operator to close 57 stations.
The Railway Board said the train changes were because roads between two stations might become crowded.
Opposition leaders said the measures could stop people from joining the protest and called the situation emergency-like.
The CPI(M) said it had taken some restrictions to the Supreme Court.
CJP also claimed one of its organisers was being kept at home by police.
Aaditya Thackeray said his party had found suspected irregularities in voter lists, but these claims were not independently confirmed in the reports.
Cockroach Janta Party planned an October 10 protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged electoral-roll irregularities.
Opposition leaders criticised train cancellations ahead of the protest; the Railway Board cited anticipated road congestion between New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations.
Delhi Police urged the metro operator to close 57 stations, while CPI(M) said it had challenged restrictions, including train cancellations and metro and internet shutdowns, in the Supreme Court.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray described the measures as emergency-like; CJP also alleged an organiser was under house arrest.
Thackeray said his party had identified about five lakh suspected ghost voters and claimed nearly 7.9 lakh voters were missing from revised Election Commission figures.
- Who
- Cockroach Janta Party, INDIA bloc leaders, CPI(M), and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.
- What
- Leaders criticised travel and other restrictions ahead of a protest seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- When
- The protest was scheduled for October 10; the reports were published on October 9.
- Where
- Jantar Mantar and other locations in Delhi.
- Why
- The protest concerns alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Protesters and opposition leaders
Authorities’ stated rationale
Train cancellations
Protesters and opposition leaders
CJP and opposition leaders criticised the cancellations as restrictions that could obstruct people travelling to the protest; Thackeray described the atmosphere as emergency-like.
Authorities’ stated rationale
The Railway Board said cancellations were made because of anticipated road traffic congestion between New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations.
Other protest-related restrictions
Protesters and opposition leaders
CPI(M) said it challenged restrictions, including metro and internet shutdowns, in the Supreme Court. CJP criticised the measures and alleged an organiser was under house arrest.
Authorities’ stated rationale
Delhi Police urged the metro operator to close 57 stations. The reports give no official response to the broader criticisms or the house-arrest allegation.
Electoral-roll allegations
Protesters and opposition leaders
The protest organisers and Thackeray alleged irregularities, including missing genuine voters and suspected duplicate or ghost entries.
Authorities’ stated rationale
The reports do not include a response from the Election Commission or Gyanesh Kumar to these allegations.
- Protest date and venue
- October 10 at Jantar Mantar, Delhi
- Protest demand
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Rail cancellations
- Some trains departing after 2 p.m. on October 9 and due at New Delhi or Hazrat Nizamuddin between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. on October 10 were cancelled at source
- Railways’ stated reason
- Anticipated road traffic congestion between New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations
- Metro stations
- Delhi Police urged the metro operator to shut 57 stations
- Supreme Court challenge
- CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby challenged restrictions, with senior advocate Kapil Sibal representing him
- Voter figures cited by Thackeray
- About five lakh suspected ghost voters identified by his party; nearly 7.9 lakh voters allegedly missing from revised figures