DELHI’S SECURITY LOCKDOWN EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 20 AS 27,000 PARAMILITARY PERSONNEL STAY DEPLOYED AND FARMERS PREPARE TO JOIN ANTI-SIR MOVEMENT

October 14, 2026

The Union Home Ministry has extended the deployment of nearly 27,000 paramilitary personnel in New Delhi until October 20, as protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continue to intensify. The decision follows a series of demonstrations, mass detentions and heightened security measures across the capital, with authorities anticipating further mobilisation by student organisations, opposition parties, civil rights groups and farmers’ unions.

Delhi Police had sought an extension of the deployment of 273 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), whose authorisation was scheduled to expire on Monday. The request cited the possibility of further demonstrations at sensitive locations, including Jantar Mantar, the Election Commission headquarters, Parliament House and India Gate. The Home Ministry approved the extension, allowing the additional forces to remain in the capital through October 20.

The scale of the security operation reflects the government’s growing concern over protests against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Last week, the Centre deployed more than 50,000 security personnel in Delhi, including approximately 25,000 police officers, ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10.

Of the paramilitary personnel deployed, approximately 15,000 were airlifted from West Bengal and other sensitive areas to reinforce the 12,000 already stationed in Delhi following the first wave of CJP protests in July, which centred on examination paper leaks. The subsequent mobilisation over electoral-roll revision has brought a fresh wave of security restrictions, with demonstrators repeatedly prevented from reaching the intended protest venue.

The response has included heavy barricading, intensive security checks and widespread preventive detentions. Protesters, including students, opposition politicians and civil rights activists, have accused the authorities of using excessive force to obstruct peaceful demonstrations. The administration, meanwhile, has maintained that security measures are necessary to prevent disorder and protect sensitive government institutions.

The extension of the deployment comes just days after the Centre removed Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest venues. On Monday, October 12, Delhi Police announced three alternative locations for demonstrations: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi. The revised arrangement followed a committee constituted by the Union Home Ministry to examine alternative sites for public gatherings.

The removal of Jantar Mantar from the designated list has become another source of controversy. The site has historically served as a prominent location for demonstrations by political parties, student groups, trade unions and civil society organisations. CJP leaders have strongly opposed the decision, arguing that moving protests away from a central location would weaken their visibility and obstruct public dissent.

The authorities’ concerns over further mobilisation have also been heightened by growing support for the demonstrations from farmers’ organisations. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmers’ unions, has announced nationwide protests on October 23 in solidarity with the youth-led movement demanding Kumar’s resignation and a rollback of the SIR exercise.

The decision was taken at an SKM meeting in Karnal on Monday, attended by farmer leaders and representatives of organisations from several states. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said farmers would stage demonstrations at district and tehsil levels and submit memorandums to the authorities.

The SKM has also announced another round of protests for November 26. Farmers from the National Capital Region are expected to demonstrate in Delhi, while participants in other parts of the country will organise protests at the divisional commissioner level. Tikait described collective mobilisation as essential to raising public grievances and holding the government accountable.

The proposed demonstrations add a new dimension to the security challenge facing Delhi Police. What began as a protest led by the CJP and supporting student groups has developed into a broader mobilisation involving opposition parties, civil rights organisations and farmers’ unions. Authorities are therefore preparing for the possibility that demonstrations could spread beyond the immediate dispute over electoral-roll revision.

The security operation has also intersected with controversy over alleged assaults on protesters. Four men linked to the Hindu Raksha Dal, who had been arrested on Sunday for allegedly attacking students during the CJP demonstrations, were granted bail on Tuesday. After their release, members of the organisation reportedly welcomed them with garlands.

The arrests followed the circulation of a video that appeared to show the men assaulting young students and pushing or hitting women near DDU Marg in central Delhi, in the presence of police personnel. The subsequent grant of bail and public welcome for the accused have added to the political tensions surrounding the treatment of demonstrators. The allegations remain subject to the legal process.

The continuing deployment of nearly 27,000 paramilitary personnel underscores the authorities’ determination to maintain a substantial security presence while anticipating further protests. The extension does not mean that demonstrations will necessarily occur at every sensitive location identified by intelligence agencies, but it provides the administration with additional capacity to respond if further gatherings take place.

With the security deployment now extended until October 20, and farmers’ unions planning demonstrations on October 23 and November 26, the confrontation is likely to continue beyond the immediate protest dates. The government faces the challenge of maintaining public order while addressing mounting criticism over restrictions on peaceful assembly, whereas protest organisers have signalled that they intend to sustain their campaign over electoral transparency and the functioning of the Election Commission.