New Delhi: Several protesters were detained by Delhi Police during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Friday, September 25, demanding the arrest and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, organisers said.
The protest was organised by the Delhi unit of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) along with civil society members. Protesters raised slogans against the Election Commission and alleged irregularities in its functioning, particularly in relation to electoral rolls and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
A senior Delhi Police officer said the demonstrators had not obtained permission for the protest.
“No application was submitted and no permission was obtained. They are being removed,” the officer was quoted as saying.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav and several other participants were among those detained, according to the organisers. AISA president Neha Bora, RJD MP Manoj Jha, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Anjali Bhardwaj and Nandita Narain were also reported to have participated in the demonstration.
The protest followed recent public discussion over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls and the SIR process. The issue has also drawn criticism from other groups, with the Cockroach Janta Party separately demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and announcing a wider campaign over the SIR exercise.
The Election Commission has maintained that internal discussions and differing views can occur within a multi-member constitutional body. The Commission has also said that decisions concerning SIR were taken unanimously.
The Election Commission’s official website currently lists Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner and provides information on the SIR-2026 electoral-roll process.
The allegations raised by protesters remain claims made by the organisers and participants and do not by themselves establish wrongdoing by the Election Commission or the CEC.
