Protesters detained in Delhi demonstrations demanding election chief’s resignation

About 150 protesters were detained in New Delhi on Saturday while marching from Patel Chowk towards Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, an official said. Those detained included All India Students’ Association national president Neha Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, according to the report. The demonstrations form part of a series of protests over concerns about the revision of electoral rolls.

The National Students’ Union of India separately held a demonstration at India Gate. The student organisation said it was seeking transparency and accountability from the Election Commission and protection of citizens’ voting rights. Opposition parties and civil society groups have been pressing for Kumar’s removal.

Congress leader P. Chidambaram told ANI that the election chief should resign and said protests would continue if he remained in office. Leaders of the INDIA bloc also announced a joint “Save Democracy” rally in Jammu on October 7.

Congress, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party representatives said marches would be held in districts between October 4 and 8. The parties said the protests would raise allegations of “vote chori” and concerns about the electoral process. The source material does not provide a response from Kumar or the Election Commission to the demands.

An association also alleged on social media that Delhi Police had manhandled women students and journalists. The report records the allegation but does not establish the circumstances or whether any formal investigation has begun.