Gyanesh Kumar faces protests over deletion of 13 crore electoral names
- Mass detentions, metro station closures, and internet suspensions marked October 2, 2026, as hundreds of protesters gathered in New Delhi and Mumbai to demand the resignation of Chief...
- More than 700 demonstrators were detained by the Delhi Police during the mobilization at Jantar Mantar.
- All India Students’ Association National President Neha Bora was detained by security personnel during the demonstration, as captured in photographs published by The Wire.
Mass detentions, metro station closures, and internet suspensions marked October 2, 2026, as hundreds of protesters gathered in New Delhi and Mumbai to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstrations were triggered by widespread public outrage over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which saw the deletion of 13 crore names since June 2025. According to The Wire, Muslims and marginalized communities are overwhelmingly represented among the deleted names.
Delhi Police Detains Over Seven Hundred Protesters At Jantar Mandar
More than 700 demonstrators were detained by the Delhi Police during the mobilization at Jantar Mantar. Several Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, and Sanjay Singh, were among those taken into custody. Police stopped Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh at North Avenue to prevent him from reaching the protest ground. Protesters crossed barricades at Firoz Shah Road while chanting slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Protesters at Jantar Mantar also raised slogans such as Ek kachori, do samosa
and held placards reading Chai Garam, Chai Garam, Gyanesh Tera Time Khatam
. People are out on the streets to ensure their right tovote.
Student Leaders Urge Continued Defiance Despite Crackdown
All India Students’ Association National President Neha Bora was detained by security personnel during the demonstration, as captured in photographs published by The Wire. Following her temporary detention, Bora urged fellow activists to return to Jantar Mantar without fear. Students Federation of India General Secretary Aishe Ghosh condemned the police action, stating that law enforcement failed to stop crimes in the capital but mobilized heavily to protect the election commissioner. Activists from the National Students’ Union of India and the Indian Youth Congress also participated in the mobilization.
Transit Disruptions And Mobile Internet Blackouts Impact The Capital
Authorities implemented severe travel restrictions across New Delhi, shutting down entry and exit points at metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Janpath, Patel Chowk, and New Delhi. Mobile internet services were suspended in the Jantar Mantar area following government instructions. Police officials stated that protesters lacked official permission to gather, while detained leaders countered that Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site where peaceful assembly should be protected.
Cockroach Janta Party Launches Mumbai Agitation At Shivaji Park
Simultaneously in Mumbai, the Cockroach Janta Party organized a demonstration at Shivaji Park to protest against the Election Commission. Police denied permission for the gathering, citing a 2013 Bombay High Court order that designates the venue as a silence zone. Lyricist, poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar questioned local residents on social media regarding their noise objections, asking whether they display identical firmness when political parties host programmes at the same ground. Abhijeet Dipke criticized the government’s competence and questioned transit restrictions in the capital by asking why metro closures are permitted if public inconvenience is the core concern. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke stated at Shivaji Park: Government is so incompetent that we have to protest again in two months
, and previously said: Appointment of CEC should be transparent; there should be involvement of civil society
.