1,000 detained, 3 FIRs: Delhi's crackdown on the protests demanding the CEC's ouster

NEW DELHI: More than 1,000 protesters were detained across central Delhi and at least three criminal cases were registered as the capital witnessed two days of demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protests, called by the All India Students' Association (AISA), Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan, began on October 2 — Gandhi Jayanti — with demonstrators attempting to march to Jantar Mantar. Delhi Police, which had denied permission for the gathering, detained over 1,000 people on Friday as they tried to cross barricades, transporting them in police buses to stations across the city. Those detained included former Delhi chief minister Atishi, AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bhardwaj, AISA president Neha Bora and Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav. On Saturday, the police action continued. Around 150 more protesters — including Bora, detained for the second consecutive day, Bhushan, Yadav and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Nitya Ramakrishnan and Pallav Sisodia — were picked up near Patel Chowk as they marched toward Jantar Mantar. AISA alleged that a male police officer manhandled Bora during the action and that another officer verbally abused her; the claims could not be independently verified. Delhi Police said prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were in force across New Delhi district, and closed entry and exit gates at eleven Metro stations in central Delhi, including Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk and Central Secretariat. On October 3, the police registered at least three FIRs — two at Parliament Street police station and one at Connaught Place — under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which covers disobedience of an order promulgated by a public servant. No individual or organisation has been named as an accused so far, though officials said details of organisers and participating groups have been placed on record, leaving the door open for future action. The protesters accuse the Election Commission of manipulating voter rolls through the SIR exercise in ways that favour the ruling BJP — an allegation the Commission denies, insisting the revision only removes duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible voters. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge escalated the confrontation on Saturday, declaring "all the elections were illegal" and demanding the dissolution of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, with fresh polls conducted using ballot papers. He attacked the immunity granted to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners under the 2023 Act, which he said prevents any inquiry against them "till death." Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said force could stop people from gathering but could not silence their concerns: "lathi can stop a crowd, but not a question." Similar demonstrations were reported in Mumbai, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.