Mass detentions in Delhi and Mumbai protests target Election Commission over voter roll issues

Police detained over five hundred people in Delhi on Friday during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar after authorities denied permission for the event and shut down twelve metro stations. The detained individuals included several prominent leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party such as Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi, and Sanjay Singh, alongside members of student organisations like the All India Students' Association.

Demands and Protests

Protesters gathered to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, pointing to alleged problems and large-scale voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Similar demonstrations took place at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, where Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke questioned the logic of shutting down transit lines in the national capital while officials blocked public gatherings in Mumbai under the argument of public inconvenience. Heavy security and police teams were deployed at both locations, with authorities enforcing public assembly restrictions under local legal provisions in central Delhi and detaining activists who attempted to reach the main demonstration areas.