Jantar Mantar barricaded as Delhi Police deny permission for today's anti-CEC protest
Delhi Police have denied permission for a protest planned at Jantar Mantar on Thursday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, barricading the area and imposing Section 163 as the SIR voter-roll row deepens.
New Delhi — Delhi Police have denied permission for a protest planned at Jantar Mantar on Thursday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, barricading the area and imposing prohibitory orders as the row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls deepens. Multi-layer barricades have been placed on routes leading to Jantar Mantar, the road has been closed to traffic, CCTV cameras installed, and Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — which bars gatherings of five or more persons — imposed at the site, ANI reported. The demonstration was called by the All India Students Association (AISA), Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, who are demanding the CEC's removal over alleged voter-list irregularities and the conduct of elections. AISA national president Neha Bora said organisers had informed the Parliament Street police station about the event, including expected turnout and timing. Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia urged people to join the protest, writing on X: "Come to Jantar Mantar on October 2nd to demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Otherwise, the right to vote is being snatched away today; tomorrow all other rights will also be taken away." AAP leaders and workers and members of the Indian Youth Congress are expected to attend; the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is not expected to join, ANI reported. The Delhi action comes amid a widening national agitation over the poll panel's functioning. In Mumbai, the CJP announced a parallel protest on October 2 and, after being denied permission, called for a "Jail Bharo Andolan". Its founder Abhijeet Dipke was briefly detained by Mumbai Police on Thursday after holding placards with supporters along Marine Drive, PTI reported. The Justice has reported through the week on opposition protests over the SIR exercise — from Left parties' demonstrations in Tamil Nadu over the alleged deletion of 13 crore voters to the INDIA bloc's call for a joint agitation and the CEC's exit.
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