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

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 tomorrow.

Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in parliament, and other Opposition leaders are expected to meet President Droupadi Murmu later today to complain about ECI chief Gyanesh Kumar.

The ECI, India’s constitutional body responsible for conducting elections, has rejected allegations of wrongdoing.

More than 20,000 police and paramilitary officers have been deployed in the capital ahead of the protest, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Yellow metal barricades have sprung up across key roads in the city centre, restricting access to the government-designated protest site of Jantar Mantar, AFP reporters saw.

Police have not authorised rallies at the site, and ordered the Delhi Metro subway system to close entry and exit gates at some stations from late today, according to media reports.

“In view of proposed protests and the likelihood of unruly mob movement, Delhi Metro entry/exit gates across 57 stations may be closed from 9:00 PM IST on October 9 till the situation normalises on October 10,” a police letter to the metro operator said.