Delhi Police detains 160 protesters during demonstration demanding Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation

Delhi Police detained 160 people, including senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, political activist Yogendra Yadav, AISA president Neha Bora and activist Anjali Bhardwaj, on Saturday during the second day of protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The demonstration began with a two-hour delay near Vithal Bhai Patel House, following a call by the All India Students’ Association (AISA) for a gathering at 1 pm. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also joined lawyers, activists and students at the site. Security personnel deployed multi-layered barricades and sealed routes around the area. Within 15 minutes of the march starting at approximately 3 pm, police began detaining participants and transporting them to various police stations, including Bhushan, Yadav and Bhardwaj being taken to the Badarpur Police Station.

Delhi Police stated that no permission had been granted for the October 3 protest and that no prior intimation was received. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, remained enforced across the New Delhi district to ensure public safety, maintain order and facilitate traffic movement.

Following his detention, Bhushan released a video posted on X by Yadav, stating that the police cannot silence public voices and that increased repression will only bring more protesters to the streets.

Yogendra Yadav announced a subsequent citizen’s march scheduled for Sunday, October 4, starting at 3 pm from India Gate toward Jantar Mantar. Yadav stated the new march aims to protest against alleged police brutality and the Delhi Police, while calling on citizens to rise against what he termed “anti-women SIR” and CEC Gyanesh Kumar.