Protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar continue; AISA activists, senior advocates held in Delhi

Protests calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over concerns related to the revision of electoral rolls continued on Saturday (October 3) with a series of demonstrations in Delhi, while the police filed FIRs in Delhi and Mumbai after protests on Friday (October 2).

AISA activists, senior advocates detained in Delhi

Around 150 protesters, including AISA national president Neha Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav, and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, were detained on Saturday as they marched from Patel Chowk towards Jantar Mantar to protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and demand his resignation, an official said.

Also Read: Huge protests in Delhi, Mumbai demanding CEC's ouster; nearly 700 detained in Capital

AISA members said senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Nitya Ramakrishnan, Pallav Sisodia, and Prashant Bhushan, along with activist Yogendra Yadav, joined Bora and other students during the march.

Police began detaining protesters as they gathered near the protest site, with security personnel deployed at multiple points and barricades placed on roads leading towards Jantar Mantar.

Allegations of Neha Bora being manhandled

AISA members alleged that a male police officer manhandled Bora during the police action and that another Delhi Police officer abused her. The allegations could not be independently verified immediately.

The fresh mobilisation came after Bora, who was among those detained on Friday (October 2), called on activists to return to Jantar Mantar at 1 pm and continue their protest demanding Kumar's resignation and raising concerns over the SIR of electoral rolls.

Also Read: CJP’s Dipke demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, warns of countrywide protests

The development comes a day after nearly 1,000 protesters were detained from Jantar Mantar and surrounding areas as police and paramilitary personnel prevented large groups from reaching the protest site. Many of those detained were subsequently released.

Delhi Police register 3 FIRs

Delhi Police has registered at least three FIRs in connection with Friday's protests, two at Parliament Street police station and one at Connaught Place police station, under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for alleged disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant.

No individual or organisation has been named as an accused in the FIRs, though details of the organisers and organisations that proposed or participated in the demonstrations have been mentioned in their contents, a senior police officer said.

Also Read: Oppn protests across states seek CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, turn up heat over SIR

The FIRs relate to alleged violations of prohibitory orders imposed across the New Delhi district under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibited gatherings of five or more people, processions, demonstrations, picketing, dharnas, and slogan shouting without prior written permission.

Video message for protest to continue

On Friday evening, Bora said in a video message that the protest would continue, and urged activists to return to Jantar Mantar. She said the detentions would not intimidate protesters and called for continued mobilisation in support of the demand for Kumar's resignation.

Also Read: Form 6 flaws, past polls, other red flags: What EC dissent row has exposed

Delhi Police had denied permission for Friday's gathering and imposed heightened security measures in central Delhi. Several roads were barricaded and entry and exit at a number of Metro stations in the vicinity of Jantar Mantar were temporarily restricted during Friday's protest.

The second day's mobilisation saw continued police deployment around Jantar Mantar as AISA and other groups pressed ahead with their protest.

NSUI protest at India Gate

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest at India Gate on Saturday, demanding the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. A large number of NSUI members and student activists participated in the protest and raised slogans seeking transparency and accountability in the functioning of the Election Commission and protection of citizens' voting rights, the student organisation said in a statement.

The protesters alleged that questions had been raised over the electoral process and demanded that the Election Commission provide answers to concerns being raised by citizens and opposition organisations.

Also Read: DMK says it will back in Parliament move seeking removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

NSUI national media in-charge Ravi Hanuman Pandey said the Election Commission, being a constitutional institution responsible for safeguarding citizens' right to vote, must ensure transparency and accountability when questions are raised about the electoral process and electoral rolls.

"NSUI demands the immediate resignation and arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and a credible, impartial investigation into the concerns surrounding the electoral process," Pandey said.

He said students and young citizens would continue to raise their voices through democratic means for transparency, accountability, and protection of voting rights.

Mumbai Police file FIR

Mumbai police on Saturday registered an FIR against the organisers and 400-500 unidentified persons in connection with Cockroach Janta Party's October 2 Shivaji Park protest.

The case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Maharashtra Police Act for unlawful assembly, wilful disobedience of lawful order issued by public servant, and other offences, a Shivaji Park police station official said.

The case was lodged on the complaint of a resident of the Shivaji Park area, he added.

"No one has been arrested in the case. Further probe is underway," the official said.

Also Read: Kharge demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal over SIR, seeks PM Modi’s resignation

The CJP, under its founder Abhijeet Dipke, had organised a massive protest at Shivaji Park on Friday seeking the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.

The demonstrations come days after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

Under fire over the red flags raised by two of its commissioners over the SIR process, the EC has asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and that all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.

(With agency inputs)