More than 500 protesters were detained by Delhi Police on Friday during demonstrations around Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Among those detained were AAP leaders Atishi, Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj, AISA leader Neha Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav and members of student organisations, according to reports. Indian Youth Congress and NSUI workers were also stopped while attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar.
The protest was called by the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). AAP leaders and other opposition-linked groups also mobilised separately around the issue.
Section 163 restrictions in New Delhi
Delhi Police had not granted permission for the proposed Jantar Mantar demonstration. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was imposed across the New Delhi district, restricting unauthorised gatherings and demonstrations. Police also deployed additional personnel and erected barricades around routes leading to the protest site.
Police later warned protesters to vacate the area, saying the gathering was unauthorised. Protesters nevertheless continued raising slogans and demanding action against the Election Commission.
12 metro stations shut
Delhi Metro services were also affected by the security arrangements. Entry and exit facilities were closed at 12 stations, including Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, New Delhi and Barakhamba Road.
The closures were announced amid heightened security around central Delhi.
Internet services were also ordered to be suspended from 9 am to 9 pm within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar, according to the live updates.
Protesters demand CEC’s resignation
The demonstrators demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and raised concerns over the SIR exercise and electoral rolls.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that 1.37 crore names had been deleted from electoral rolls during SIR. Such claims are part of the opposition’s criticism of the revision exercise and have not been independently established as wrongful deletions.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, has maintained that decisions relating to electoral-roll revision, including SIR, were taken unanimously by the three-member poll panel.
The controversy follows reports about alleged differences among Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over certain decisions. The ECI has said that, regardless of discussions or differing views, its final decisions were unanimous.
Parallel protest in Mumbai
A separate demonstration was also planned at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park by the Cockroach Janata Party movement. Its founder Abhijeet Dipke had announced a “Jail Bharo Andolan” against the CEC.
Mumbai Police said it was not empowered to grant permission for a gathering at Shivaji Park because of a 2013 Bombay High Court order and noted that the area is a silence zone.
Protests continue
As the Delhi demonstration continued, Indian Youth Congress workers were stopped while marching from Raisina Road towards Jantar Mantar. NSUI workers were also stopped by police barricades.
Videos circulated by protesters showed alleged detentions and confrontations with police, although at least one video cited in the live updates could not be independently verified.
The demonstrations come amid a wider political and civic debate over the Election Commission’s functioning and the SIR process, with opposition parties and activist groups raising concerns while the Election Commission has defended the decision-making process.
