Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Opposition Condemns Detentions During Delhi Election Commission Protest
People gathered in Delhi to protest how voter lists are being changed.
They also wanted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
Police detained hundreds of people, including protesters, journalists and political leaders.
Opposition leaders said the police response was too harsh and compared it to past periods of emergency rule.
They also said restrictions on transport and metro services made the city feel locked down.
The protesters were concerned about how the Election Commission handled the voter-list changes.
The protest followed a newspaper investigation about objections raised by two election commissioners.
The government’s response to the opposition’s accusations was not included in the report.
Delhi Police detained hundreds of protesters, journalists and activists during demonstrations on Saturday.
The protest called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and a rollback of the voter-roll revision.
Opposition leaders described the detentions and restrictions as repressive, with some comparing them to the Emergency.
Those reported detained included Arvind Kejriwal, Dhruv Rathee, journalists Ayush Tiwari and Shoaib Daniyal, and several political leaders.
The protests followed an Indian Express investigation reporting that two election commissioners had objected 14 times to decisions related to the revision.
- Who
- Protesters, activists, journalists and political leaders; opposition leaders condemned the detentions.
- What
- Demonstrations demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and a rollback of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls; police detained hundreds.
- When
- Saturday, October 10, 2026.
- Where
- Delhi, including a protest at Jantar Mantar.
- Why
- Protesters raised concerns about the Election Commission’s functioning and its handling of the voter-roll revision.
- Date
- Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Location
- Delhi
- Reported detentions
- Hundreds of protesters, journalists and activists
- Protest demand
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
- Additional demand
- Rollback of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls
- Investigation cited
- A September 23 Indian Express investigation reported that two election commissioners had objected 14 times in 10 months to poll-panel decisions related to the revision.
- Reported detainees
- Included Dhruv Rathee, Ayush Tiwari, Shoaib Daniyal, MA Baby, Pinarayi Vijayan, Brinda Karat and John Brittas.