Delhi Police detain hundreds protesting electoral commissioner's conduct

Delhi Police detained close to 1,000 people on Friday during an unauthorised protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar, with most subsequently released. The demonstration, organised by members of student bodies, civil society groups and political parties, focused on allegations of procedural irregularities during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and reported mass voter deletions.

Authorities had not granted permission for the assembly, with prohibitory orders in effect across the New Delhi district. Reflecting the scale of the operation, approximately 5,000 Delhi Police officers and paramilitary personnel were deployed throughout the Lutyens' zone and adjoining areas, with more than 10 companies of paramilitary forces mobilised as part of security measures.

Detentions were conducted across multiple locations in central Delhi, including zones around Kerala House and Ashoka Road roundabout, with those held transferred to various police stations throughout the city. Among those detained were several Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi and Sanjay Singh, though specific charges against detainees were not immediately detailed.

The mass detention underscores ongoing political friction over election management processes, with opposition parties maintaining that systematic voter deletions have disenfranchised citizens ahead of future elections. The incident marks another instance of police action against large-scale political demonstrations in the national capital.