Capital sees fresh protests and hundreds of detentions despite Supreme Court orders

Security personnel detained roughly 700 people on Sunday as protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continued in New Delhi for a second consecutive day. The action followed a larger clampdown on Saturday that saw 7,000 people detained, internet services suspended near Jantar Manta, and the closure of 45 Metro stations. On Sunday, the Supreme Court ordered that peaceful, unarmed protesters cannot be detained except through the procedure established by law. A special bench of justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also directed that metro and railway services run normally, internet connectivity stay undisturbed, and prohibitory notices near court complexes be removed. Despite the court's directions, sporadic detentions continued across central Delhi, including Connaught Place, RK Puram, Nigambodh Ghat, and RK Ashram, affecting protesters, bystanders, and at least 12 journalists. Leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party, whose founders were earlier released on a bond, vowed to press on with fresh protests on Monday alongside a planned march by the Opposition to the Supreme Court.

Context

The ongoing protests stem from widespread opposition to a special intensive revision of electoral rolls that has removed 130 million names from voter lists. The Supreme Court's intervention highlights the constitutional protections regarding peaceful assembly and freedom of movement under Indian law.