Delhi Police are tightening security across central Delhi ahead of the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ march on November 1, with the protest set to move from the Minto Road–Connaught Place junction to Ramlila Maidan and involve additional police, Central Armed Police Forces and 200 to 250 CCTV cameras.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the route during an ‘Ask Me’ session on Instagram. The march will begin at noon and culminate at Ramlila Maidan, where the rally is scheduled to continue as part of the opposition bloc’s protest over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Delhi Police have said the wider rally programme will take place between 10am and 5pm. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir said local police teams, additional personnel and CAPF units would be deployed for the arrangements. The deployment is expected to cover both the march route and the gathering area around Ramlila Maidan.
“We’ve put in extensive police personnel and camera coverage arrangements for the rally. We have our local police also stationed here. We’ll also get the help of Central Armed Police Forces, which will be coming in to assist us during this arrangement,” Rajbir told ANI.
The police also plan to use a face recognition system and additional CCTV coverage during the gathering. Rajbir said around 200 to 250 cameras would be installed or used to cover the area and monitor activity around the event. He said the arrangements were being made in coordination with the organisers.
Police officials have cited the possibility of attempts by what Rajbir described as “nefarious elements” to disrupt the gathering as one reason for the heightened alert. The DCP said Ramlila Maidan had hosted three or four political rallies organised by different parties during the year, and that the venue was accustomed to large political events.
The march is part of the INDIA bloc’s campaign over what opposition parties call “vote chori” and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have alleged irregularities in voter lists and are seeking action against the Chief Election Commissioner. These allegations and demands are political claims made by the opposition bloc and have not been independently established in the material supplied for this report.
A related public event concerning Kumar, described by Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh as a “Public Impeachment”, was postponed because of continuous rain in the national capital. In a post on X, Ramesh said the event would take place on October 31 at 2.30pm, followed by the Ramlila March on November 1.
Gandhi has urged people, including student groups irrespective of political affiliation, to join the march. He said the demonstration was intended to protect democracy and the Constitution and to oppose alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.
The immediate operational focus for authorities remains security deployment, surveillance coverage and coordination with organisers. The march and rally are scheduled to proceed on November 1 between the stated morning and evening timings, with the route ending at Ramlila Maidan.
