Delhi Police detained over 500 protesters, including Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, on Friday to stop a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Groups gathered to demand the resignation of election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll issues. Authorities imposed Section 163 restrictions and used heavy barricading, as many activists got taken away.
Over 500 protesters, including former Delhi CM Atishi, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, and AISA leader Neha Bora were detained in Delhi on Friday as police moved to prevent a demonstration at Jantar Mantar against the Election Commission and chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Track live updates
The protest was called by the All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), along with activists and political leaders. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called a separate protest and asked people to join them on Gandhi Jayanti.
The groups are demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the functioning of the Election Commission and its handling of electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Delhi Police had earlier denied permission for the proposed October 2 protest, despite the right to peaceful assembly being a fundamental right, and imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the New Delhi district. The order restricts unauthorised gatherings, demonstrations, processions and slogan-shouting.
Several protesters who attempted to reach Jantar Mantar from the Ashoka Road side were stopped by police and taken away in buses. Heavy barricading was placed on roads leading towards the protest site, while Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel were deployed at multiple points.
SFI and DYFI members separately gathered to protest against the Election Commission and the SIR exercise. The organisations planned to mobilise around 1,500 people at Jantar Mantar despite not receiving police permission.
AISA national president Neha Bora was also among those detained during the continuing agitation around Jantar Mantar; SFI and DYFI members were among those held during the police action. Political activist Yogendra Yadav was also detained.
Saurabh Bharadwaj was detained from the protest site. On X, he said he had been "arrested from Jantar Mantar" and shared slogans related to the campaign against alleged "vote chori". He shared a video from inside the police bus.
Police officials on duty said they were acting on instructions from senior officers.
Former Delhi chief minister Atishi was also seen on the police bus, being taken away. On X, she wrote, "Detained by Modi ji's Delhi Police from Jantar Mantar."
She added that the "fight against #VoteChori shall go on" and used the hashtag "#ChunavAyogThikKaro" in her post.
The AAP later posted a video showing her detention. "Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition [Atishi] ji, who was peacefully protesting against vote theft, has been arrested by the Delhi Police. Prime Minister Modi ji, this country will not run on dictatorship. The vote thief Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign."
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha was also detained by police amid the heightened security arrangements in Delhi. He was taken towards the Badarpur border. CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat also took part in the protests at Jantar Mantar.
Mobile internet services were suspended from 9 am to 9 pm in the Jantar Mantar area. Services were shut within a roughly 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar.
The security measures also affected Delhi Metro and road traffic. The DMRC initially announced the closure of entry and exit at 11 stations, with Barakhamba later added to the list, taking the total to 12, HT reported earlier.
The affected stations included Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, New Delhi and Barakhamba. Interchange facilities remained available at some stations.
Delhi Traffic Police also imposed diversions and restrictions around Connaught Place, Patel Chowk, GPO, Tolstoy Marg, Jantar Mantar Road, Parliament Street and Ashoka Road. Commuters were advised to avoid the affected stretches.
Security personnel were deployed at several points, including Minto Road and roads approaching central Delhi. Barricades were also placed on the DND carriageway towards Delhi, with vehicles being stopped and occupants questioned about their destinations, according to people at the site.
The barricading slowed traffic on some stretches, with vehicles being channelled through reduced road space.
NSUI workers, led by national president Vinod Jhakhar, also marched towards Jantar Mantar but were stopped by police and multiple layers of barricading.
Around 200 workers raised slogans of "Gyanesh Kumar Go Back". After around 15 minutes, police announced that the gathering was unauthorised and warned protesters that action could be taken if they did not leave the area.
The October 2 mobilisation is part of continuing protests over the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR exercise, under which electoral rolls are being revised.
Criticism increased after an Indian Express investigative report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections on several occasions concerning decisions taken by Gyanesh Kumar without their knowledge. The Election Commission has maintained that decisions of the three-member commission, including those relating to SIR, were taken unanimously.
The Jantar Mantar protest also follows earlier demonstrations over the issue, during which police detained activists and student leaders.