The Delhi Police is conducting an assessment to ascertain the feasibility of holding elections at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, where residents are protesting against the government’s move to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA, officials said on Thursday.
Special Commissioner (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan said the assessment was conducted at the highest level to ensure that polling in the area goes off smoothly.
Alternative routes have been planned for the movement of election officials and material, he said, adding that talks are on with the protesters to clear the stretch.
The protest at Shaheen Bagh has been going on for more than a month and all the efforts by the police and administration to pacify the protesters have come to naught.
These protests are led by the women of Shaheen bagh, who are sitting on the road connecting Delhi with Noida. The protest has led to blockade of Road No 13A.
The protesters want the government to take back the amendments passed by Parliament last month. But the Centre and Home Minister Amit Shah, who piloted the bill in Parliament, have categorically said that there is no going back on CAA.
The issue has taken centrestage in Delhi in the wake of Assembly elections scheduled for February 8. The counting will take place on February 11.
{{/usCountry}}The issue has taken centrestage in Delhi in the wake of Assembly elections scheduled for February 8. The counting will take place on February 11.
{{/usCountry}}The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is hoping to return to power in Delhi after two decades, is seeking to counter the ruling Aam Aadmi party (AAP) over protest at Shaheen Bagh. Several BJP leaders and Union ministers have highlighted the statements of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia where they said they support the protest.
The AAP, meanwhile, has said that the BJP-led central government will end the protest as soon as elections are over in Delhi.