3 hrs ago
Protesters Detained Near Jantar Mantar Demanding Chief Election Commissioner’s Resignation
People marched in New Delhi on Saturday to ask Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
They also objected to a process for revising voter lists.
Police stopped the march near Jantar Mantar and detained about 150 people, including activist Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav.
Police said the protest did not have permission.
The reports give different estimates for how many people were detained during a similar protest on Friday.
Protesters said they would keep demonstrating.
Some activists allege police mistreated Bora, but the claims had not been independently verified.
Separately, the Indian Youth Congress president challenged a police decision refusing permission for a proposed protest in court.
Delhi Police detained about 150 people on Saturday as protesters marched towards Jantar Mantar demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Those detained included AISA president Neha Bora and activist Yogendra Yadav; Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan were also among march participants.
Police said permission had not been granted for the demonstrations and stopped the march near Jantar Mantar Road.
Reports differ on Friday’s detentions: one says around 550 protesters were detained, while another says nearly 1,000 were detained in and around Jantar Mantar.
Protesters opposed the revision of electoral rolls, while the Election Commission said differing views are normal and its orders follow established legal procedures.
- Who
- Protesters including AISA president Neha Bora and activist Yogendra Yadav; Delhi Police detained marchers.
- What
- A march demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and opposing the electoral-roll revision was stopped, and about 150 people were detained.
- Where
- Near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
- When
- Saturday, the second consecutive day of demonstrations; a similar protest took place Friday.
- Why
- Protesters objected to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and sought the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation.
Protesters and challengers
Police and Election Commission
Permission and assembly
Protesters and challengers
The Indian Youth Congress petition argues that authorities cannot turn regulation of peaceful assembly into prohibition and says the refusal lacked an individualised, proportionate assessment.
Police and Election Commission
Delhi Police said permission had not been granted and stopped the demonstrations; Friday’s restrictions prohibited gatherings and processions without prior written permission.
Electoral-roll revision
Protesters and challengers
Protesters opposed the SIR and alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
Police and Election Commission
The Election Commission said differing views are normal in institutional deliberations and that its orders carry legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
Key facts
- Saturday detentions
- Around 150 people, according to one report.
- Friday detentions
- Reports differ: one says around 550; another says nearly 1,000.
- Protest demand
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- Other issue raised
- Objections to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Police position
- Police said they had not granted permission for the protests.
- Legal action
- The Indian Youth Congress president challenged the refusal of permission for a proposed demonstration in the Delhi High Court.
- Allegations
- AISA members alleged police mistreated and abused Neha Bora; the claims had not been independently verified immediately.
Quotes
Indian Youth Congress petition
A legal petition challenging Delhi Police’s refusal to permit a proposed demonstration.
“convert the power to regulate a peaceful assembly into a power to prohibit it”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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