World · India Bureau
Delhi Police Detain Over 1,000 At Jantar Mantar Election Commission Protest
Demonstrators gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to protest against the Election Commission chief, citing irregularities in voter roll revisions and mass deletions. Most detainees were released after questioning.
LSN India ·
Delhi Police detained more than 1,000 protesters who assembled at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday to voice demands for the resignation of the Election Commission of India's chief. The demonstration centred on allegations of procedural irregularities during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with activists expressing concerns over widespread voter deletions from the electoral register.
The protesters, comprising activists and citizens, maintained that the voter deletion process had disproportionately affected certain sections of the population and lacked transparency. They called for an independent inquiry into the matter and demanded accountability from the poll body's leadership.
Police said the detentions were precautionary measures to prevent disruption to public order in the capital's central business district. The majority of those held were released after preliminary questioning, with authorities stating that no formal cases were registered against most detainees.
The Election Commission has previously defended its voter roll revision process as a standard administrative procedure aimed at maintaining accurate electoral registers. The agency maintains that all deletions follow established protocols and legal guidelines, though civil society groups have sought greater transparency in the process.