Delhi’s Home Department has decided to keep 20,000 paramilitary personnel on standby in the capital for at least a month, officials said.
The move comes as the city braces for the flood of crowds during Holi and Diwali, and it follows the approval of three new protest sites—Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground—while Jantar Mantar is pulled out of the high‑security zone.
That evening, opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra marched to the Supreme Court to file a petition against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, shifting the protest's focus from a demand for his resignation to a broader campaign for democratic participation.
Police have tightened security along Delhi’s borders, railway stations and bus terminals, conducting vehicle checks and verification drives at hotels, guest houses and dharamshalas, while the city has been split into 20 zones, each overseen by joint and deputy commissioners.
Delhi authorities expect the expanded security posture to curb unauthorized gatherings during the festival season, and will monitor the newly designated protest sites closely, the Home Minister said.