New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, 24 October, chaired a high-level review of Delhi’s security at the Delhi Police headquarters, directing firm handling of what officials described as ‘inimical elements’, stepped-up patrolling, wider CCTV and artificial-intelligence-based surveillance, and tighter checks at the capital’s entry points.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau chief Mahesh Dixit were among those present at the review, which took stock of the capital’s security posture amid a politically charged fortnight. More than 250 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed in the city till 31 October, a scale of deployment that underlines the seriousness with which the Centre views the coming days.
The review directed police to increase visible patrolling across sensitive areas, expand the use of CCTV networks and AI-assisted watch systems, and strengthen checking at Delhi’s borders and entry points. The emphasis, officials indicated, was on prevention — spotting trouble early and deterring disruption before it gathers momentum.
The backdrop to the review is a calendar of opposition mobilisation. The INDIA bloc has announced a rally at Ramlila Maidan on 1 November, and a mock session of Parliament is planned for 30 October, with the opposition’s campaign centred on protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The SIR exercise has become the opposition’s sharpest line of attack in recent weeks, with parties alleging irregularities in the revision process and demanding accountability from the Election Commission. The government and the poll body have rejected charges of wrongdoing, setting up a confrontation that is now spilling onto the streets of the capital.
Ramlila Maidan carries its own symbolism in Delhi’s protest history. The ground has hosted movements that reshaped national politics, and any large gathering there draws intense police attention to crowd management, traffic and the maintenance of order in the heart of the city.
The deployment of central forces till the end of the month brackets the entire protest window, from the mock session on 30 October through the rally on 1 November. For Delhi Police, the task is a familiar but delicate one: facilitating lawful protest while preventing any slide into disorder.
Friday’s review also reflected the Centre’s direct stake in the capital’s security. Unlike other states, where law and order rests with the state government, Delhi Police reports to the Union Home Ministry, making the Home Minister’s review the operational command meeting for the city’s security apparatus.
With the rally a week away, the coming days are likely to see further coordination meetings, route planning and intelligence assessments. The message from Friday’s review was unambiguous: the capital will be watched closely, patrolled heavily and guarded at its gates until the protest season passes.
