Protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continued on Sunday, with AISA president Neha Bora being detained by Delhi Police. The detention occurred while protesters were attempting to move towards Jantar Mantar, where a protest had been scheduled to begin from Andhra Bhawan Circle on Ashoka Road.
All India Students’ Association (AISA) chief Neha Bora was detained by the Delhi Police on Sunday as protests to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation entered the third day. According to reports, police stopped the protesters at barricades and several demonstrators were detained and forced into buses. Protesters tried to stop the vehicles from leaving and smashed the window of a police bus in an attempt to halt its departure. Women protesters were even seen climbing on top of the car in which Bora was being detained in an attempt to stop it from leaving.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj was also detained after party workers marched towards India Gate to protest against Kumar. After being detained, Bharadwaj alleged that the police were ‘picking him up and throwing him around like he is a football’.
AISA later said Bora had been released at Narela Industrial Area Police Station in north Delhi, but alleged that their phone and bag were not returned. The detention occurred while protesters were attempting to move towards Jantar Mantar, where a protest had been scheduled to begin from Andhra Bhawan Circle on Ashoka Road.
Earlier, the student association alleged that Bora was taken in an ‘unauthorised vehicle’ without a female constable. On Saturday , Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal were among those detained while marching towards Jantar Mantar.
Protests are being held in several parts of the country seeking Kumar’s resignation over concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission and its handling of the special intensive revision exercise. On Sunday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray jointly led a protest march against Kumar in Mumbai.
The protesters have raised concerns after The Indian Express’ September 23 investigation revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected 14 times in 10 months to decisions by the poll panel related to the special intensive revision, saying some had been taken without their knowledge. According to The Indian Express investigation, Sandhu and Joshi had reportedly objected to changes to Form 6, appeals against the inclusion of voters in West Bengal and the handling of voter data in Goa, among other matters. Form 6 is used to register new voters.
In one written objection, Sandhu was quoted as having stated that the poll panel had acted against the advice of both commissioners and described the action as ‘unauthorised and illegal’.
Source:
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