around 50 police personnel are stationed outside his residence and that he is being followed and threatened with detention if he approaches a protest.

Speaking to The Lallantop, India Today’s sister outlet, Rathee said he wanted to join the INDIA bloc’s planned march to the Supreme Court today to demand Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar‘s resignation over SIR irregularities.

“I want to join the protest but they (police) have stationed around 50 people outside my house. Wherever I go, they follow me and threaten me, saying that if I go anywhere near a protest, they would pick me up immediately again,” he said.

Asked whether he was under house arrest, Rathee replied, “Unofficially, I would say so.”

“The police are all around me. Wherever I go, they follow me. They followed me in a car too. Three or four cars follow me,” he alleged.

The influencer also dismissed questions about a possible visa investigation, saying, “I am an Indian citizen, there is no visa issue for me.”

In a video released on Sunday, he alleged that people in plain clothes took him from his residence in Gurugram and moved him between police stations. He further claimed that he was denied access to his phone and was not allowed to contact his lawyer for around 22-23 hours.

Delhi remained on high alert for the third consecutive day on Monday, with more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the capital ahead of the INDIA bloc’s march to the Supreme Court.

The Opposition parties are demanding Kumar’s resignation, an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots. They have accused the Election Commission of irregularities under the slogan “vote chori”.

Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge sought a meeting with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to raise the allegation, but the latter declined, saying similar matters are sub judice in the Supreme Court, sources said.

As part of the security arrangements, entry and exit gates at six Delhi Metro stations will remain closed until 4 pm. Security has also been tightened at the city’s borders, railway stations, bus terminals and other sensitive locations to prevent unauthorised gatherings and maintain law and order.

Gandhi and Kharge, the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, had sought a meeting between 4 pm and 5 pm on October 12 to submit a memorandum.

Their demands include an end to alleged “vote chori”, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots.

The Chief Justice’s response was emailed to both leaders, the sources said. The issues they wanted to raise were already pending before the Supreme Court, making such a meeting inappropriate.

Asked about the opposition leaders’ request for a meeting on Monday, CJI Kant said, “I received a letter yesterday regarding a meeting request, and I responded to it last night, outlining the reasons why I will be unable to meet.”

WHY THE OPPOSITION IS PROTESTING

The agitation centres on allegations of wrongful voter deletions and manipulation of electoral rolls during SIR. Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of favouring the BJP and demanded accountability from Kumar.

The row intensified after reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months, largely concerning SIR-related decisions.

The Commission maintains that differing views are a normal part of deliberations and that its orders have legal backing and follow statutory procedures.

OPPOSITION PLANS ‘MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY’

Congress has called Monday’s protest “Chalo Delhi – March for Democracy” and asked participants to gather at the Connaught Place–Barakhamba Road junction at 1.30 pm.

Gandhi said young people, Opposition parties and civil society groups would march to the Supreme Court. He accused police and BJP supporters of assaulting peaceful protesters in Delhi on Saturday.

Kharge said the leaders wanted to seek the CJI’s intervention. He accused Modi and Shah of creating unrest, saying Saturday’s police deployment and detentions reflected the government’s fear of the agitation.

DELEGATION MET PRESIDENT ON FRIDAY

On Friday, police stopped Opposition MPs at Vijay Chowk. Several staged a sit-in while a 10-member delegation proceeded to Rashtrapati Bhavan to seek President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention to remove Kumar.

Gandhi said he was “shocked” that the President had not denied or questioned the allegations. He claimed evidence of alleged vote theft was known across the country and said the Opposition would submit it to her.