Delhi Police Detain Protesters at Jantar Mantar Over Demands for...

By GT24x7 Reporter · 25 September 2026 · GlobalToday24x7

Delhi Police detained multiple activists, student representatives, and prominent public figures at Jantar Mantar on Friday, September 25, 2026, as demonstrations demanding the resignation and prosecution of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar intensified. Security personnel deployed heavy barricading, bus units, and security cordons around the designated protest venue to disperse the gathering, citing a lack of prior official permission.

Among those detained during the Jantar Mantar action were CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav, and student leaders from the All India Students' Association (AISA). The police action in the national capital occurred concurrently with a broader nationwide agitation organized by opposition parties, including the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs), targeting election offices across various state capitals.

Allegations Surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

The catalyst for the nationwide protests stems from ongoing controversy surrounding the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise for electoral rolls. Opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have alleged that millions of voters have been arbitrarily deleted or flagged for discrepancies without due process.

Political friction mounted following media reports alleging that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded internal objections on at least 14 occasions regarding procedural orders, voter registration changes, and electoral database access issued during the SIR process. Opposition parties cited these reports to claim that fundamental decisions were being taken without consensus, raising questions about institutional transparency and fairness.

High Security Deployment and Multi-Party Participation

At Jantar Mantar, demonstrators carried placards and raised slogans calling for the immediate removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and a comprehensive judicial review of recent electoral roll modifications. Public figures including RJD MP Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, civil rights activist Anjali Bhardwaj, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and former Delhi University Teachers' Association president Nandita Narain joined the agitation prior to police intervention.

Simultaneously, Delhi Congress workers led by state president Devender Yadav marched from Rouse Avenue toward Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg and Nirvachan Sadan, alleging widespread voter deletions across Delhi's informal settlements and unauthorized colonies. Law enforcement officers erected multi-layered barricades along key central Delhi thoroughfares to prevent marchers from reaching the central Election Commission headquarters.

Official Clarifications and Government Response

The Election Commission of India has consistently refuted claims of procedural irregularity or internal paralysis. Official statements from the poll panel emphasized that internal feedback, differing perspectives, and administrative notes represent normal institutional deliberation within a multi-member constitutional body. The ECI clarified that all final policy decisions concerning the nationwide SIR exercise were taken unanimously by the full commission in accordance with statutory guidelines under the Representation of the People Act.

Spokespersons for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the street demonstrations as politically motivated attempts to erode public trust in constitutional machinery ahead of crucial electoral cycles. Government representatives asserted that the SIR process is a standard, transparent statutory cleanup meant to eliminate duplicate records, deceased voters, and outdated entries, urging political parties to address technical grievances through established legal mechanisms rather than public agitation.