More than 700 protesters, including AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha and Sanjay Singh, were detained in Delhi on Friday as opposition parties and student organisations staged protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged mass deletion of voters.
The protest at Jantar Mantar was called by political parties, AISA, SFI, NSUI, DYFI and other student and youth organisations. Police said around 700 protesters were detained from Jantar Mantar and nearby areas, while an earlier estimate had put the number at around 150. A police source separately said around 700 SFI members attempting to reach Jantar Mantar were stopped at the Ashoka Road roundabout, with several detained.
AAP's Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj and MLA Sanjeev Jha were detained after reaching Jantar Mantar, while Atishi was also taken into custody. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was stopped at North Avenue while attempting to reach the protest site.
Bharadwaj, in a video message, said police told the protesters that permission had not been granted for the gathering. He questioned why permission was required to hold a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest venue, and said the AAP had submitted letters seeking permission about a week earlier.
"We are exercising our democratic right to raise our concerns," Bharadwaj said.
He also appealed to people to travel to the nearest open Metro station and, if possible, walk to Jantar Mantar, after several stations in central Delhi were closed as part of security arrangements.
After being stopped from reaching the protest site, Singh sat on a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises against what he described as "vote theft". "The end of dictatorship will come, Modi-Gyanesh will have to go," he said.
Singh also alleged that police personnel had been deployed outside his residence and the homes of several Opposition leaders. In remarks to ANI, he described the police deployment as "peak dictatorship" and alleged that the police were acting on the directions of the BJP leadership. These were his allegations.
Bharadwaj separately said around 10 to 15 police personnel, including a station house officer, were stationed outside his residence, while Central Reserve Police Force and Delhi Police personnel were deployed outside Singh's residence and the homes of other AAP leaders. "The movement is not of the leaders but of the people," Bharadwaj said, adding that the protest would continue even if leaders were detained.
Atishi said the protesters were holding a peaceful demonstration to protect democracy and the right to vote.
"When the British ruled India, Gandhiji fought for people's right to vote. Today, when we have that right, Gyanesh Kumar is trying to take it away," she said.
Atishi said that when they tried to reach Jantar Mantar to raise their voice, police took them away in buses and detained them at the Fatehpur Beri police station.
"We are not afraid of Modiji's police. We will continue to fight to protect the right to vote. The fight against vote theft will continue. The EC's system will have to be corrected and Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign," she said.
AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda said that while protesters were being detained, no action was being taken against the CEC. "We will not stop here. We will continue the protest across the country," he said.
The AAP also said several of its senior leaders and workers were detained, naming Atishi, Singh, Bharadwaj, Jha, Jarnail Singh, Kuldeep Kumar and Dhanda among those taken into custody.
Student organisations also faced police action at multiple locations. SFI general secretary Aishe Ghosh said several SFI and DYFI activists had been detained.
"Delhi Police is not being able to stop crimes in the capital but when it comes to the protection of someone like Gyanesh Kumar, they get down on the streets," Ghosh said. She added that the detentions would not stop the movement.
Several NSUI activists, including national president Vinod Jakhar, were detained during a foot march from the organisation's office towards Jantar Mantar. In a post on X, Jakhar said several NSUI activists had been taken into custody and alleged that activists faced police action during the march.
"The voice of the people's votes cannot be suppressed by the might of any power," he said, adding that the organisation's "peaceful struggle for democracy" would continue.
The Indian Youth Congress also marched from its office on Raisina Road towards Jantar Mantar. Protesters wore masks bearing the faces of Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and carried posters and banners demanding accountability from the CEC.
In a separate demonstration, IYC workers dressed as "living ghosts" wore black robes, white masks and skulls around their necks. They said the attire represented voters who had allegedly been removed from electoral rolls despite being alive.
IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib led the demonstration, with the youth wing announcing plans to gherao the Election Commission's office. Police stopped some protesters outside the IYC office after they attempted to proceed towards the Election Commission office.
"We are protesting because the Election Commission is responsible for protecting the sanctity of every vote. When questions are being raised within the Commission itself over decisions concerning electoral rolls, the country deserves answers and accountability," Chib said.
"When questions are being raised over the Election Commission's impartiality, the CEC will have to resign from his post," he said, according to an IYC statement.
Chib said the Election Commission was a constitutional institution and not a private organisation belonging to any government or political party, adding that its credibility and impartiality must be addressed. "Young people cannot remain silent when there are questions over the electoral process," he said.
The IYC protesters raised slogans including "CEC, resign", "Election Commission, answer us" and "Save Democracy". Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed along the route, with barricades erected and detention buses stationed near the IYC office on Raisina Road.
Some of the protesters were detained after attempting to proceed towards the Election Commission office, the IYC said.
The protest was attended by Delhi Youth Congress president Akshay Lakra, Haryana Youth Congress president Nishit Kataria, IYC national general secretaries Hari Krishna, Khushboo Sharma and Mitendra Darshan Singh, and national secretaries Satyawan Gehlot, Parminder Singh Pummy and Hevaran Kansana, among others.
In a post on X, the IYC accused Kumar of removing names of living voters from electoral rolls and alleged that the exercise was being carried out at the behest of the BJP. It demanded his arrest and accused him of being part of a "vote theft" system. The youth wing said it would continue to hold protests and public awareness campaigns, demanding transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
The Congress' youth wing also said its workers stopped DTC buses at DDU Marg near the BJP headquarters and at Janpath Road near Hotel Le Meridien, climbed onto the buses and raised slogans demanding Kumar's resignation.
Protesters raised slogans including "Ek kachori, do samosa, Gyanesh tumhara kya bharosa" and "Gali-gali mein shor hai, Modi-Gyanesh vote chor hai".
Several protesters were seen attempting to cross barricades on Firoz Shah Road as police tried to prevent them from reaching Jantar Mantar. AISA activists alleged that police used force against protesters, including women. An AISA activist being detained said, "No matter how much lathi charge you use or no matter how many of us you put in jail, Gyanesh Kumar has to resign."
The allegation of lathi charge and use of force could not be independently verified.
Delhi Police had denied permission for the proposed gathering, citing security concerns and the expected turnout. Police imposed prohibitory orders in the area and made repeated public announcements asking people not to gather at Jantar Mantar as no gathering had been permitted.
Additional police personnel and barricades were deployed around the protest site. Central Armed Police Forces were also deployed at key points, while police restricted movement around the venue. Police had expected a turnout of several thousand people.
Amid the protests, internet services were suspended in central Delhi. The Delhi Metro temporarily closed entry and exit at 12 stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Jantar Mantar, as part of the security arrangements.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation later said entry and exit gates at all 12 stations had been reopened. The stations were Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi.
"The entry and exit gates of all Metro Stations of the Delhi Metro network are now open. The interchange facility at New Delhi Metro station is also available," the DMRC said.
The interchange facility remained available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, New Delhi and Central Secretariat during the closure.
The restrictions were imposed after the Aam Aadmi Party, All India Students' Association, National Students' Union of India and Indian Youth Congress announced protests at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise and the conduct of the SIR.
The protest is part of a wider mobilisation by political parties, student organisations and civil society groups against the SIR exercise and the Election Commission. Opposition parties and other groups have alleged that the revision has resulted in mass deletion of voters and have demanded Kumar's resignation, while the Election Commission has maintained that electoral-roll revision is being carried out under established procedures.
(With inputs from Express News Service, PTI and ANI)
