The detentions of several student leaders and activists have sparked concerns over freedom of speech and peaceful protest, while the objections by two election commissioners raise questions about the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.
On Friday, the Delhi Police denied permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar organized by several student leaders and activists, who were demanding the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration followed an investigation by The Indian Express that revealed objections by two election commissioners – Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi – over decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Among those detained were All India Students’ Association chief Neha Bora, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and activists Yogendra Yadav and Anjali Bharadwaj. The AISA alleged that the Delhi Police brutally detained the leaders after denying permission for the protest.
The objections by the two election commissioners were related to various matters, including registration of new voters, changes to Form 6, appeals against the inclusion of voters in West Bengal, and handling of voter data in Goa. In one written objection, Sandhu stated that the poll panel had acted against their advice and described the action as ‘unauthorised and illegal’.
Separately, Congress leaders held a protest against Kumar outside the Election Commission’s office in Delhi. The Cockroach Janta Party has announced plans for a nationwide protest on October 2 if Kumar does not resign by Saturday.
Since the exercise began in June 2025, the SIR has faced questions about its manner and pace of implementation, amid concerns that it could deny genuine electors their right to vote and shape election outcomes.
Source:
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