Internet cut and hundreds detained at Delhi protest over voter roll changes

Telecom companies were directed to suspend internet services for 12 hours in and around Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where a protest was held on Friday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the mass deletion of voters. Service providers such as Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea were ordered to halt services from 9 am to 9 pm within a 1.5-kilometre radius of the site.

Detentions And Protests

According to The Hindu, the Delhi Police detained more than 500 protesters, while PTI reported the number at around 700 people. Those picked up by police included Aam Aadmi Party leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi and Sanjay Singh, alongside members of student bodies like AISA, SFI and NSUI. Protesters were blocked from entering Jantar Mantar from Ashoka Road and other routes, with police cutting off access and scattering demonstrators. Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party also planned a protest at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, though police in Mumbai denied permission for the gathering.

Past Shutdowns

This marks the second internet shutdown at Jantar Mantar in three months, following a suspension in July during a CJP protest over the NEET paper leak. During those July demonstrations, protesters used a Bluetooth messaging app called Bitchat Mesh, prompting a notice to GitHub from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under IT Act rules, according to app founder Jack Dorsey. Past internet shutdowns in Delhi have included suspensions during anti-CAA protests in December 2019 and farmers' demonstrations in January 2021.

Context

Internet suspensions are occasionally ordered by authorities in India during major law enforcement operations or high-tension public demonstrations to manage crowd communication and maintain public order. These curbs typically rely on temporary emergency powers granted to telecommunications authorities under existing legal frameworks. Such measures often draw legal scrutiny from digital rights groups regarding freedom of expression and communication access.