India deploys thousands of police ahead of election protest

Thousands of police were deployed across the Indian capital on Friday, a day before planned protests to demand the election commission chief step down over alleged voter-roll irregularities.

Indian National Congress (INC) party leaders Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra take part in a protest march. [AFP]

Demonstrations have erupted this month over the Election Commission of India's (ECI) "special intensive revision" of electoral rolls, which the commission says is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible voters.

Opposition parties and critics allege the exercise could disenfranchise voters to the benefit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A wave of street protests, including in New Delhi, has attracted key leaders from India's main opposition Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi, who was briefly detained during rallies this week.

Protesters, including from the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, are calling for mass rallies in New Delhi on Saturday.

Source: Standard