Liquor shops across the national capital will remain closed on October 9 and 10, with the Delhi government citing the “prevailing situation” and inputs from Delhi Police as the city prepares for a planned protest over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to an official order cited by PTI, the closure has been imposed as a preventive measure to maintain “public order”. The decision comes ahead of a proposed October 10 demonstration by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations linked to the voter-list revision exercise.
The order does not elaborate on the specific circumstances behind the decision, but the closure coincides with heightened security preparations across Delhi.
More Than 20,000 Personnel Deployed Across Delhi
Delhi Police and paramilitary forces have significantly strengthened security arrangements ahead of Saturday’s planned demonstration. A senior police officer said more than 20,000 personnel had been deployed across the capital to prevent any breach of peace and ensure the smooth movement of traffic and people.
The officer said authorities were prepared to handle the situation but clarified that permission had not been granted for a protest at Jantar Mantar.
“We are well prepared and motivated to handle the law-and-order situation in the city on Saturday. No permission has been granted so far for any protest at Jantar Mantar,” the officer said.
Prohibitory orders are already in force in the area, according to the police.
The proposed demonstration comes amid mounting political tensions over the SIR exercise, with Opposition parties and student groups alleging that large numbers of eligible voters have been removed from electoral rolls.
The CJP has called for protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, accusing the Election Commission of failing to adequately address concerns surrounding the revision process. The allegations have intensified the wider debate over electoral transparency and the protection of voting rights.
The Election Commission’s voter-list revision exercise has faced criticism from Opposition parties, which have demanded greater accountability and safeguards against the exclusion of eligible voters.
