Guwahati: More than 700 people, including former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, were detained by Delhi Police on Friday during protests seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, activist Yogendra Yadav and All India Students Association (AISA) president Neha Bora were among those detained.
Opposition parties and student organisations held demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and nearby areas over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protesters also alleged that a large number of voters had been deleted from the rolls.
In Mumbai, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) planned to hold a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ at Shivaji Park against Kumar. The CJP and other protesters have sought his resignation over the alleged SIR irregularities and deletion of voters.
Delhi Police had refused permission for the protest on Thursday and increased security in Central Delhi. Police said on Friday that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were in force in the New Delhi district.
Before the demonstration, Bharadwaj said in a video posted by the AAP Delhi unit on X that the party had sought permission six days earlier to hold a peaceful protest. He said police had informed the party that permission had not been granted.
The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) also organised a protest and attempted to march from its Raisina Road office to Jantar Mantar. Police stopped the march, which was led by IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib.
The youth wing had announced plans to surround the Election Commission office. Chib said the Election Commission was responsible for protecting every vote and that questions over decisions concerning electoral rolls required answers and accountability.
Police took protesters away from the demonstration sites in buses, including groups of 10 or more people gathered at a single location. Those detained were taken to Badarpur police station, police stations in Outer North Delhi and other locations.
Janpath became the main protest site, with around 50 to 60 people continuing to gather there. Police stopped protesters from moving towards Parliament Street and the Jantar Mantar area.
The Delhi Metro also temporarily closed entry and exit at 12 stations in central Delhi as part of the security arrangements. Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Jantar Mantar were among the affected stations. Internet services were also suspended at the protest site and nearby areas.
Around 50 to 60 protesters remained at Janpath, while police restricted access towards Parliament Street and Jantar Mantar.
Entry and exit facilities at 12 central Delhi Metro stations were temporarily shut as part of the security measures. The affected stations included Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Jantar Mantar.
Authorities suspended internet connectivity in areas surrounding the protest venue.