Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Scroll Reporter Detained While Covering Protest Against Election Chief
Ayush Tiwari is a reporter for Scroll.
He was in Delhi reporting on a planned protest when police detained him near ITO.
Tiwari said he showed his press card and told officers he was a journalist.
The protest was planned for Jantar Mantar.
Its organisers wanted Election Chief Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
They said they were concerned about how the Election Commission works and how voter lists were being updated.
Police had not given permission for the protest.
Police detained hundreds of people, while organisers said the restrictions were meant to intimidate them.
Scroll reporter Ayush Tiwari was detained near ITO on Saturday while covering activity ahead of a protest in Delhi.
Tiwari said he identified himself as a journalist and displayed his press card, but police put him in a van.
The protest was planned at Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janta Party campaign and student groups affiliated with Left parties.
Organisers said the demonstration called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over concerns about the Election Commission and electoral-roll revision.
Police denied permission for the protest, and hundreds of people were detained; organisers described restrictions as intimidation.
- Who
- Scroll reporter Ayush Tiwari, Delhi Police, and groups planning a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Tiwari was detained while covering activity ahead of a protest calling for Kumar's resignation.
- When
- Saturday, October 10, 2026.
- Where
- Near ITO in New Delhi; the planned protest site was Jantar Mantar.
- Why
- The protest organisers cited concerns about the Election Commission's functioning and its handling of a special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
Organisers and press-freedom concerns
Police and public-order restrictions
Restrictions on the protest
Organisers and press-freedom concerns
Organisers described measures including detentions and restrictions on transport and communications as intimidation.
Police and public-order restrictions
Police denied permission for the demonstration and imposed restrictions ahead of it; the article does not provide a police explanation for the measures.
Detention of the reporter
Organisers and press-freedom concerns
Tiwari said he identified himself as a journalist, displayed his press card, and was nevertheless taken away.
Police and public-order restrictions
Police reportedly said that everyone was claiming to be a journalist; the article gives no further police account of Tiwari's detention.
- Reporter detained
- Ayush Tiwari of Scroll
- Detention location
- Near ITO, Delhi
- Planned protest site
- Jantar Mantar
- Protest demand
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Organisers
- Cockroach Janta Party political campaign and student groups affiliated with Left parties
- Police position
- Permission for the protest was denied
- Detentions
- Hundreds of protesters were detained on Saturday morning, according to the report