KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- A coalition called People Against SIR, which lists 93 organisations including SKM, CITU, AITUC, INTUC, AISA, SFI and DYFI, has listed 56 protest events in 49 cities across 14 states between 22 October and 01 November 2026, with 39 events on 23 October.
- The marches oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The flagship Delhi gathering is at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib from 1300 hours on 23 October, with a march towards the Election Commission likely; organisers reportedly have not sought police permission and Section 163 of the BNSS is in force in New Delhi district.
- Six of India’s eight Tier 1 metros have a listed event, while Pune and Ahmedabad have none.
- MitKat rates overall severity and business impact as medium, with Delhi NCR the only metro rated high. Earlier rounds saw mass detentions, including over 7,000 in Delhi and about 600 in Mumbai on 10–11 October.
- This is a live-event advisory, and the organisers’ venue list is crowd-sourced and may change at short notice.
A wave of marches against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of India’s electoral rolls reaches its busiest day on 23 October, with events listed across dozens of cities. This summary draws on MitKat’s live-event advisory. The issue is politically contested, so the demands below are the organisers’ own and the assessments are MitKat’s analytical judgements, not official forecasts.
What are the anti-SIR marches and what do organisers want?
Protests began on 02 October over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. According to the advisory, organisers are seeking the scrapping of the SIR, the restoration of names deleted since June 2025, accountability of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and repeal of the 2023 law on Election Commissioner appointments. After mass detentions on 10–11 October and about 150 detentions in Delhi on 16 October, civil-society groups formed People Against SIR on 14 October. The coalition says it brings together 93 organisations, including farmer, trade-union, student and Dalit groups.
Where and when are the marches listed?
People Against SIR lists 56 events in 49 cities across 14 states between 22 October and 01 November, with 39 on 23 October and 25 in Karnataka, mostly district-headquarters marches. In Delhi, the flagship gathering is at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib from 1300 hours on 23 October, with a march of about one kilometre towards Nirvachan Sadan via Ashoka Road likely. In Mumbai, events are listed at the Mumbai University Kalina campus gate at 1100 hours on 23 October and at Samvidhan Chowk, Govandi, at 1530 hours on 25 October. Bengaluru has a march from Town Hall to Freedom Park at 1600 hours on 23 October; Kolkata has a gathering at Jadavpur Coffee House at 1500 hours the same day; Chennai has a gathering at Rajarathinam Stadium, Egmore, from 1600 hours on 22 October continuing into 23 October; and Hyderabad has a human chain at Tank Bund at 1600 hours on 24 October, with a further event at Indira Park on 25 October. Other 23 October events are listed in Jaipur, Ranchi, four Odisha cities and Kerala, and follow-on dates run to Vijayawada on 01 November. No event is listed for Pune or Ahmedabad.
What is the police posture?
The advisory says organisers have reportedly not sought police permission, and that Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is in force in New Delhi district. In Chennai, police had earlier refused permission for a sit-in. Earlier rounds saw quick, large-scale detentions: over 7,000 in Delhi and about 600 in Mumbai on 10–11 October, and about 150 in Delhi on 16 October. MitKat expects barricades and detentions at Bangla Sahib, Ashoka Road, Patel Chowk and Sansad Marg, and says flash protests at Connaught Place, Mandi House and Jantar Mantar are possible, as seen on 16 October. Central Delhi Metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Janpath and Central Secretariat, may see short-notice gate closures. No airport disruption is expected.
Which cities carry the most business risk?
MitKat rates Delhi NCR high, with barricades, diversions, detentions and possible metro closures around Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Ashoka Road, Patel Chowk, Sansad Marg and Connaught Place. Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai are rated medium. Bengaluru’s 1600-hour march coincides with the evening peak in the central business district, with congestion expected on JC Road, KG Road and Seshadri Road, though the tech corridors (ORR, Whitefield, Manyata) are unlikely to be affected; a Mandya event near the Mysuru–Bengaluru Expressway toll plaza may slow traffic there. In Mumbai, the Kalina event may slow the Western Express Highway and CST Road near BKC, and Govandi affects the eastern suburbs. Kolkata and Hyderabad are rated low, with localised slowdowns in south Kolkata and around Tank Bund Road, and Pune and Ahmedabad are rated low with no business impact anticipated.
What should businesses and individuals do to prepare?
For organisations, the advisory recommends activating civil-unrest monitoring for Tier 1 metros from 22 to 25 October with Delhi NCR as the priority, and pre-approving remote working or early release on 23 October, in line with company policy, for staff in or commuting through central Delhi. It suggests routing Delhi employee transport away from Bangla Sahib, Ashoka Road and Patel Chowk between 1100 and 1800 hours on 23 October, scheduling Bengaluru central business district movements before 1500 hours or after 1900 hours, avoiding Kalina on the morning of 23 October and Govandi on the afternoon of 25 October, and prioritising safe travel for night-shift and women employees. Firms should set clear triggers, such as newly listed venues, metro gate closures, road blockades or mass detentions, for moving to restricted operations. Individuals are advised to avoid listed venues and march routes, not to join, stop near or film gatherings, check traffic police and metro updates before travelling, carry identification, expect police checks near protest sites, and dial 112 in an emergency. Because the organisers’ list is crowd-sourced, share only verified updates.
Frequently asked questions
Are there anti-SIR protests in Pune or Ahmedabad?
No event is listed for either city by the organisers, though the advisory notes a small unlisted gathering, such as the one at the Pune Collector’s Office on 17 October, cannot be ruled out.
Will flights be affected by the marches?
No airport disruption is expected, according to the advisory.
Which metro stations in Delhi may close?
Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Janpath and Central Secretariat may see short-notice gate closures, as happened on 10 October, and staff are advised not to rely on them on 23 October.
Stay updated
This is a live-event advisory issued on 22 October 2026. Venues and timings come from a crowd-sourced organisers’ list and can change at short notice, and police and traffic measures can change quickly. Monitor Delhi Police, Delhi Traffic Police and the other city police accounts directly, and refer to datasurfr’s Special Advisory service for consolidated, business-focused updates. Download the full advisory now to brief your travel and continuity teams.
Filed under: India-South AsiaThreat Intelligence Special Reports
