Delhi Police detain protesters during AISA agitation against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Several protesters, including Dipankar Bhattacharya and Yogendra Yadav, were detained during an AISA-led demonstration at Jantar Mantar demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's arrest and resignation. Police said the protesters had not obtained permission for the demonstration

New Delhi: Several protesters demanding the arrest and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were detained by Delhi Police during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Friday, organisers said.

A senior police officer said the protesters had not sought permission for the demonstration.

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“No application was submitted and no permission was obtained. They are being removed,” the officer said.

CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav and other protesters were among those detained, the organisers said.

The protest was organised by the Delhi unit of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), along with other civil society members. Protesters raised slogans of “Arrest Gyanesh Kumar” and alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission.

Several public figures, including AISA president Neha, RJD MP Manoj Jha, Bhattacharya, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Anjali Bhardwaj and Nandita Narain, participated in the protest, the organisers said.

The demonstration followed concerns raised by a recent report in The Indian Express over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The Election Commission has maintained that differences of opinion and internal feedback are part of the functioning of a multi-member constitutional body and that final decisions on the SIR were unanimous.