Delhi Police detained more than 500 protesters, including senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, at Jantar Mantar on Friday after AAP and student groups went ahead with a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar despite the police denying permission and shutting entry and exit at 11 metro stations.
Those detained included AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi, Sanjay Singh, Sanjeev Jha and Anurag Dhanda, according to updates on The Economic Times live blog. An earlier update put the figure at around 150 protesters, including AAP leaders and workers of the All India Students' Association, detained near the protest site.
The protest had been called by AISA, Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan over allegations of irregularities in electoral rolls and the conduct of elections, including the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise. The protesters are demanding the impeachment or resignation of CEC Kumar. Separately, the Cockroach Janata Party held its own protest at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, also seeking Kumar's resignation, amid heavy police deployment and objections from local residents.
Delhi Police had denied permission for the Jantar Mantar protest, and DCP Sachin Sharma said Section 163 of the BNSS was in force in New Delhi, warning that unauthorised sit-ins, protests or demonstrations would not be allowed. Police created 8 to 9 security zones in and around Jantar Mantar, each overseen by a senior IPS officer, deployed drones for surveillance, and placed barriers near Nizamuddin.
Delhi Metro shut entry and exit at 11 stations until further notice — Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi — though interchange facilities remained available at some of them.
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj reached the site earlier and asserted that protesting was a constitutional right, claiming people could reach on foot despite the metro closures. RJD MP Manoj Jha, who joined the protest, questioned whether protests needed permission at all. NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule called it "deeply unfortunate" that protests were needed to defend democracy, while CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, who joined a separate CPI(M)-SFI-DYFI demonstration nearby, demanded that the CEC be arrested over alleged voter deletions.
The Election Commission has previously rejected claims of an internal rift over the revision exercise, saying its decisions were unanimous.
Sources: Jantar Mantar Protest Live Updates: 500+ Detained — The Economic Times | CJP Protest LIVE: Opposition to Organise Separate Protests — The Hindu
Those detained included AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi, Sanjay Singh, Sanjeev Jha and Anurag Dhanda, according to updates on The Economic Times live blog. An earlier update put the figure at around 150 protesters, including AAP leaders and workers of the All India Students' Association, detained near the protest site.
The protest had been called by AISA, Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan over allegations of irregularities in electoral rolls and the conduct of elections, including the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise. The protesters are demanding the impeachment or resignation of CEC Kumar. Separately, the Cockroach Janata Party held its own protest at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, also seeking Kumar's resignation, amid heavy police deployment and objections from local residents.
Delhi Police had denied permission for the Jantar Mantar protest, and DCP Sachin Sharma said Section 163 of the BNSS was in force in New Delhi, warning that unauthorised sit-ins, protests or demonstrations would not be allowed. Police created 8 to 9 security zones in and around Jantar Mantar, each overseen by a senior IPS officer, deployed drones for surveillance, and placed barriers near Nizamuddin.
Delhi Metro shut entry and exit at 11 stations until further notice — Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi — though interchange facilities remained available at some of them.
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj reached the site earlier and asserted that protesting was a constitutional right, claiming people could reach on foot despite the metro closures. RJD MP Manoj Jha, who joined the protest, questioned whether protests needed permission at all. NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule called it "deeply unfortunate" that protests were needed to defend democracy, while CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, who joined a separate CPI(M)-SFI-DYFI demonstration nearby, demanded that the CEC be arrested over alleged voter deletions.
The Election Commission has previously rejected claims of an internal rift over the revision exercise, saying its decisions were unanimous.
Sources: Jantar Mantar Protest Live Updates: 500+ Detained — The Economic Times | CJP Protest LIVE: Opposition to Organise Separate Protests — The Hindu
