Several prominent activists, student leaders and public figures have been invited to a march in New Delhi on Friday to “restore democracy”, with organisers demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Those invited include Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, student leaders Neha Bora and Aishe Ghosh, and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan. Economist Parakala Prabhakar, actor-activist Prakash Raj, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and author Tushar Gandhi are also among the invitees. The demonstration is being organised by People Against SIR, an alliance of students, farmers and civil society groups formed on October 14. Similar marches are planned in other parts of the country.

Police Permission Denied? Organisers Plan To Proceed

The organisers have announced that the marches will take place without seeking police permission, raising the possibility of a confrontation with authorities. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), imposed during earlier protests, remains in force in the New Delhi district.

The provision restricts assemblies, processions, demonstrations, public speeches and other specified activities without prior written permission.

“The People’s March to Reclaim Democracy will not request police permission anywhere,” the platform said in a statement on October 18.

The alliance has also cautioned police, paramilitary forces and prison authorities against using force against peaceful demonstrators. Under its proposed “No SIR” campaign, it plans to popularise the slogan “Har Gali Jantar Mantar, Har Gaon Jantar Mantar, Mera Ghar Jantar Mantar”.

Delhi Police had not issued an immediate comment on the planned march at the time of filing this report.