Why Is Gen Z Protesting Against SIR and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar?

There are moments when you think why should you talk about current political situation when its not my concern. I have hardly written any blogs on Political issues.

My last blog on one such issue dates back to 2020 when farmers were protesting( Here is the link: https://asksoniya.blogspot.com/2020/12/farmers-aka-khalistanis-vs-govt-aka.html) in case you want to read.

And then there are moments when you are just sitting in your cozy bed with a cup of warm coffee, thousands miles away from your country and your conscious tells you...

What is the value of my education, career or future if I stop caring about the system that decides how my country is governed?

That question seems to be sitting somewhere behind the protests we are watching in India today.

Young protesters, student organisations, civil-society groups and opposition supporters have taken to the streets demanding accountability over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls, and many are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters allege that large-scale changes to voter lists have unfairly removed eligible voters and could influence elections. The Election Commission and the government reject allegations of deliberate manipulation.

And now October 10 has become the focus of a much larger confrontation.

Why Are Young People So Angry?

For Gen Z, politics is no longer something that exists only inside Parliament.

They live online.

They see documents.

Videos.

Press conferences.

Court hearings.

Fact-checks.

Police action.

Political speeches.

Everything arrives instantly on their phones.

And when a generation already worried about education, competitive exams, jobs, inflation and its future begins to believe that even its vote may not be secure, the anger becomes deeper.

The current protests are not simply about one official.

They are about trust.

Can citizens trust electoral rolls?

Can they trust that their names will remain on voter lists?

Can institutions explain major decisions transparently?

And when people raise questions, will those questions be answered—or controlled?

Whether every allegation made by protesters ultimately stands up in court is a separate question.

But the fact that thousands of young people are willing to take to the streets tells us that the trust deficit itself has become politically important.

What Exactly Is the SIR Controversy?

The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise to revise electoral rolls.

The Election Commission says such exercises are necessary to remove names that should no longer be on rolls—such as duplicates, deceased voters or people who have permanently moved—and to maintain accurate voter lists.

Critics argue that the scale and process of the latest revision have raised serious questions about whether eligible citizens may also have been removed.

The controversy became more serious after reporting that two Election Commissioners had raised objections to some decisions connected with the SIR process. Court petitions have since challenged aspects of the exercise and sought investigations into the Election Commission’s functioning.

So this is not simply a social-media argument anymore.

It has reached the courts.

The streets.

Parliamentary opposition.

And now an entire generation of protesters.

Why Would Young People Risk Their Studies or Careers for This?

We often misunderstand protest when we ask:

“Why don’t these youngsters just focus on their careers?”

Perhaps many of them are.

Students still have classes.

Professionals still have jobs.

People still have responsibilities.

But civic participation has always required people to give something—time, comfort, convenience and sometimes professional security.

Young people joining these protests appear to believe that protecting democratic institutions is connected to protecting their own future.

That does not mean every Gen Z Indian agrees with them.

Gen Z is not one political block.

Many young Indians support the BJP.

Many support opposition parties.

Many may not support any political party at all.

But those who are protesting are making one thing clear:

They do not believe democracy should be something citizens think about only on election day.

October 10: Why Has One Date Become So Important?

The Cockroach Janta Party, student groups and allied organisations called for a major gathering at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on October 10 demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and changes to the SIR process.

Delhi Police did not grant permission for the protest, citing the late application, earlier alleged violations and prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS. Organisers said they intended to continue peacefully.

What followed has been extraordinary.

Ahead of the protest, authorities prepared extensive restrictions in and around central Delhi.

Reports described tens of thousands of police and paramilitary personnel being made available, closures affecting dozens of Metro stations, disruption to rail services, checks at entry points, detention arrangements and restrictions around central Delhi. Mobile internet was also ordered suspended in parts of the capital for a period around the protest.

Whatever your political opinion, when an entire capital prepares on this scale for a youth-led protest, the moment deserves attention.

Is Delhi Being “Shut Down”?

The entire city is not literally closed.

However, the restrictions are significant enough to affect normal movement and business.

Metro closures affect commuters.

Cancelled or disrupted trains affect travellers.

Road barricades affect employees, customers and deliveries.

Businesses in parts of central Delhi were advised to remain closed, and restrictions around Connaught Place were reported ahead of the mobilisation.

The Supreme Court itself raised concerns about the scale of some restrictions and stressed proportionality, warning authorities against measures that create excessive inconvenience for ordinary citizens.

This matters economically too.

Delhi is not only India’s political capital.

It is a centre of business, services, transport and tourism.

A few hours of disruption do not “destroy the Indian economy,” however, large-scale transport closures, business shutdowns and interruptions to work unquestionably create economic costs for individuals and businesses.

The irony is difficult to miss:

Measures intended to contain a protest can themselves create disruption.

Does This Remind Us of Gandhi-Era Movements?

History should never be copied too casually.

Today’s India is not colonial India.

The government is elected.

The Constitution exists.

Courts exist.

Citizens have legal rights that people under British colonial rule did not possess in the same form.

So calling today’s protest another freedom struggle would be historically inaccurate.

But there is one similarity worth thinking about.

During Gandhi’s movements, ordinary people discovered that political power does not exist only in offices.

Public participation itself can become political power.

Students left classrooms.

Lawyers boycotted courts.

Workers joined movements.

Ordinary families participated in civil resistance.

The comparison is therefore not that the governments are the same.

They are not.

The comparison is that generations sometimes reach a point where politics moves from drawing rooms and institutions into the street.

History does not repeat exactly.

But sometimes it rhymes.

What Role Are Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition Playing?

This protest is no longer only a youth movement.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and leaders from the INDIA bloc have joined demonstrations demanding accountability from the Election Commission.

On October 6, Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs attempted to march towards the Election Commission headquarters and were detained after being stopped by police.

This creates both strength and difficulty for a youth movement.

Opposition support brings attention.

Political leaders bring media coverage.

MPs can raise questions inside Parliament.

They can take matters to court.

But protesters also need to ensure that their concerns do not become merely another BJP-versus-Congress battle.

If young people want the movement to be taken seriously beyond party lines, the questions should remain focused:

Were eligible voters removed?

Was due process followed?

Were objections properly considered?

Can the Election Commission explain the process transparently?

Those are institutional questions.

And institutions should be accountable regardless of which political party is in government.

What About Lawyers and the Supreme Court?

Legal opposition to aspects of the SIR has also grown.

A Lawyers Association for Constitution formed a panel headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Madan B. Lokur to examine the SIR process, while multiple petitions concerning the Election Commission and Gyanesh Kumar have reached the Supreme Court and Bombay High Court.

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has also been associated with earlier protest calls concerning the Election Commission.

On October 9, the Supreme Court considered challenges to restrictions imposed ahead of the October 10 mobilisation and emphasised that authorities must balance public order with the constitutional right to peaceful protest.

That may be one of the most important points in this entire debate.

Democracy requires two things at the same time:

Citizens must be able to protest.

And ordinary citizens who are not protesting must also be able to live their lives.

Neither right automatically erases the other.

Police Action: Security or Excessive Force?

This is where emotions become strongest.

Recent protests have involved detentions, barricades and clashes between police and protesters. Around 1,000 people were reportedly detained during one earlier attempt to gather at Jantar Mantar.

There have also been allegations of excessive police force during earlier youth protests. Police, meanwhile, have argued that restrictions and deployments are necessary for public safety and to prevent disorder.

These claims deserve documentation rather than slogans.

If police officers use unlawful force, it should be investigated.

If protesters assault police, damage property or violate lawful restrictions, that too should be investigated.

Supporting the right to protest does not require supporting violence.

Supporting law enforcement does not require ignoring misconduct.

A democracy should be capable of holding both citizens and the state accountable.

The Information War May Be as Important as the Street Protest

There is another battlefield now.

Your phone.

False and manipulated material has circulated around CJP and the protests.

Fact-checkers have debunked an AI-generated screenshot falsely suggesting Pakistani actor Mahira Khan supported the protest. Old videos have been presented as current protest footage. Other unrelated clips have been circulated as evidence of groups travelling to confront protesters. Even Mary Milliben, an American singer joins the dispute by posting on X and advising Elon Musk to keep his distance from Rahul Gandhi amidst approvals of his starlink project, looks completely out of the frame.

There have also been misleading clips attacking protesters and false claims circulating in the opposite direction.

This is important.

Misinformation does not belong exclusively to one party.

Before sharing anything that confirms what we already believe, we should ask:

Who originally posted this?

When was the video recorded?

Where was it recorded?

Has a credible news organisation verified it?

Has an independent fact-checker examined it?

In political movements, a lie that helps “our side” is still a lie.

What Is the Government Doing Ahead of the Protest?

The central government and Delhi authorities have taken extensive security precautions.

The Home Ministry made more than 200 companies of central armed police forces available to Delhi Police for the period around the protests. Security around Gyanesh Kumar was increased. Entry points and transport systems were placed under heavy monitoring, while restrictions were announced across central Delhi.

Supporters of these measures may argue that authorities have a responsibility to prevent violence and protect critical institutions.

Critics argue that the scale of the restrictions risks suppressing peaceful democratic assembly.

The Supreme Court’s intervention has effectively placed that tension at the centre of the debate:

How much restriction is genuinely necessary?

And when does public-order management become disproportionate?

If Protesters Want Their Message to Survive, Peace Matters

A protest can gather one lakh people and still lose its message because of one violent image.

That is the reality of modern politics.

So anyone participating in a lawful protest should think not only about reaching the location but about protecting the credibility of the cause.

The strongest precautions are not dramatic ones.

Stay peaceful.

Follow lawful directions and understand applicable restrictions.

Do not carry anything that can be interpreted as a weapon.

Do not damage public or private property.

Do not provoke police.

Do not respond to provocation from counter-protesters.

Keep emergency contacts available.

Make sure family members know where you are.

Carry identification and essential medication.

If detained, stay calm and seek lawful legal assistance.

Do not forward rumours from WhatsApp or social media.

Record important events only where doing so is lawful and without obstructing police or emergency operations.

Most importantly, do not allow people looking for violence—from any side—to hijack a peaceful protest.

Gandhi understood something extraordinarily powerful:

Discipline is not weakness.

A peaceful movement becomes strongest when the other side cannot easily portray it as a threat.

Gen Z Should Also Ask Difficult Questions of Its Own Movement

Young people should question the Election Commission.

They should question the government.

They should question opposition leaders too.

And they should question their own organisers.

Where is the evidence?

Are the numbers accurate?

Who is funding the movement?

Are political parties trying to take control of it?

Are speeches based on facts?

Are viral videos genuine?

Is the movement demanding institutional reform—or merely a change of personalities?

Real political awareness means refusing to surrender your thinking to anybody.

Not the government.

Not the opposition.

Not influencers.

Not protest leaders.

And certainly not an algorithm.

October 10 Is Not the End of the Story

By the time many people read this, October 10 may already have produced new images, arrests, court hearings, speeches and political claims.

History will definitely remember this date.

History takes time to understand.

But something important is already visible.

A section of India’s youth has decided that electoral institutions are not somebody else’s responsibility.

They are asking questions.

The Election Commission says its revision process protects the integrity of electoral rolls.

Protesters say that very integrity is under threat.

The government says it must maintain public order.

Protesters say their right to peaceful assembly is being restricted.

Opposition parties say democratic institutions are being weakened.

The BJP rejects accusations that voter rolls are being manipulated for its benefit.

In a democracy, none of these claims should simply be accepted because they come from “our side.”

They should be examined.

Evidence should be produced.

Institutions should answer questions.

Courts should scrutinise legality.

Journalists should investigate.

And citizens should remain curious.

Because democracy is not protected when everybody agrees.

It is protected when disagreement can exist without fear, violence or misinformation.

A Final Thought

Perhaps the most important question is not whether Gen Z is rebellious.

Every older generation calls the younger one rebellious eventually.

The real question is:

What happens when an entire generation begins believing that staying silent is more dangerous than speaking?

India has seen young people enter political movements many times before.

Some changed governments.

Some changed laws.

Some disappeared from public memory.

We do not yet know what this movement will become.

But whatever happens next, one principle should remain above party politics:

Every eligible Indian should have confidence that their vote counts.

Every institution exercising enormous democratic power should be open to scrutiny.

Every citizen should have the right to protest peacefully.

And every protester should remember that democracy is not strengthened by replacing one form of intolerance with another.

Question.

Verify.

Speak.

Stay peaceful.

And never let someone else—government, party, leader or social-media account—do your thinking for you.

Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!

Soniya