Opposition up in arms against SIR in Delhi; 19 parties to lay siege to Election Commission

Opposition up in arms against SIR in Delhi; 19 parties to lay siege to Election Commission

The opposition is set to stage a major show of strength in Delhi today in protest against SIR. Nineteen opposition parties from the INDIA bloc will hold a ‘Save Democracy March’—spanning approximately 3 kilometers from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters—and lay siege to the Election Commission. The opposition has three key demands: the scrapping of SIR, the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and the conduct of elections using ballot papers. However, the AAP and DMK have distanced themselves from this march. Security arrangements in Delhi have been tightened in view of the opposition’s march; the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Delhi Police have been deployed around Nirvachan Sadan. Section 163 of the BNS is in force in the Jantar Mantar area, while preparations for traffic diversions and barricading are underway on several key routes.