Hundreds of protesters from Left parties, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with student and youth organisations, gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Friday, defying police restrictions and barricades to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the mass deletion of voters.
The protest, held on Gandhi Jayanti, saw dramatic scenes as protesters crossed barricades and attempted to move towards Jantar Mantar despite prohibitory orders and the denial of police permission. Several opposition leaders, including former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha, as well as activists from student and youth organisations, joined the demonstrations.
Delhi Police sources said around 1,100 people were detained across Delhi during the day's protests, although some of those detained were subsequently released. Those detained included activists from Left student organisations AISA and SFI, the Congress’s NSUI and other student and youth groups
The protesters raised slogans targeting Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission, including, "Ek kachori, do samosa, Gyanesh tumhara kya bharosa" and "Gali-gali mein shor hai, Modi-Gyanesh vote chor hai". Another slogan heard during the protest was "Vote chor gaddi chhod", demanding Kumar’s removal.
The Opposition intensified their protests against the Chief Election Commissioner following recent reports alleging that several decisions of the Commission were taken arbitrarily by Gyanesh Kumar without the approval of his two fellow commissioners. The reports also alleged that eligible voters were not included in the final list despite clearance from state and ground-level officials. Opposition parties seized it to reiterate their claims of "vote chori" and collusion between the Election Commission and the BJP.
The protesters raised questions over the electoral process and demanded greater accountability from the Election Commission.
Delhi Police had denied permission for the gathering and imposed prohibitory orders in the New Delhi district. Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel were deployed in large numbers around Jantar Mantar and other sensitive locations in central Delhi. Barricades were erected at several points, while buses were stationed to take detained protesters away.
Despite the restrictions, protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar in large numbers. Several protesters crossed barricades as police personnel tried to stop them from proceeding towards the protest site. Police also made repeated public announcements asking people not to gather at Jantar Mantar as no permission had been granted.
AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha, along with party workers, were detained at Jantar Mantar. Police also stopped AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh at North Avenue as he was travelling towards the protest site.
After being stopped, Singh sat on a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises against what he described as "vote theft". He said the AAP had submitted letters seeking permission about a week earlier.
Around 700 SFI members, the student wing of the CPI(M), were stopped at the Ashoka Road roundabout at around 11 am while they were attempting to reach Jantar Mantar, with many of them detained. SFI general secretary Aishe Ghosh was among those leading the protest in Delhi.
AISA activists alleged that police used force against protesters, including women, during the detentions. An AISA leader, while being detained near Jantar Mantar, 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."
Several NSUI activists, including national president Vinod Jakhar, were also detained from the protest site. Jakhar was detained during a foot march from the organisation’s office towards Jantar Mantar. In a post on X, he said several NSUI activists had been taken into custody and alleged that activists were subjected to police action during the march.
"The voice of the people’s votes cannot be suppressed by the might of any power," Jakhar said, adding that the organisation’s "peaceful struggle for democracy" would continue.
The Indian Youth Congress staged a separate demonstration against the Election Commission, with protesters wearing black robes, white masks and skulls hanging around their necks.
Describing themselves as "living ghosts", the protesters said their attire represented people who were allegedly removed from electoral rolls despite being alive. Some protesters wore masks bearing the faces of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Led by IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib, the protesters marched from the IYC office on Raisina Road towards Jantar Mantar, raising slogans and carrying posters and banners demanding accountability from Kumar and his resignation.
The Congress youth wing also said its workers stopped DTC buses near the BJP headquarters and on Janpath Road near Hotel Le Meridien, climbed onto the buses and raised slogans demanding Kumar’s resignation.
Several opposition leaders and civil society activists were also detained during the protest on Gandhi Jayanti.
RJD leader Manoj Jha, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, CPI national secretary P Sandosh Kumar, CPI Delhi secretary Prof Dinesh Varshney, AISF general secretary Dinesh Seerangara and social activists Yogendra Yadav and Nikhil Dey were among those detained.
"Today is Gandhi Jayanti... It is shameful that they are behaving like this..." Jha said as he was taken inside a bus.
Brinda Karat, who came to the spot with scores of party youth wing workers, said every street in Delhi had become Jantar Mantar. "Godse was Gandhi's murderer. People of Godse’s ideology are in power in the Centre. Today they are murdering democracy through vote theft," she said.
Karat said around 13 crore citizens had been removed from the voter roll and demanded Kumar’s resignation and a change in the law governing the appointment of election commissioners.
Yogendra Yadav said India today was the same as it was under the British. "There is no freedom of speech. We demand the impeachment of Election ‘Culprit’ Gyanesh Kumar on behalf of the people of India," he said.
In a statement, the Left parties said police force was being used to suppress those protesting to "defend the vote and save democracy".
In view of the protest, the Delhi Metro temporarily closed entry and exit at 12 stations, including key transit locations such as Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, New Delhi and Jantar Mantar.
Internet services were also suspended at the protest site and surrounding areas.
Road movement was also restricted around Jantar Mantar. The Delhi Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street, Ashoka Road and adjoining roads wherever possible.
Delhi Police maintained that permission had not been granted for the proposed gathering and said the restrictions and detentions were aimed at preventing an unauthorised assembly.
