NEW DELHI, October 3, 2026 – A day after Delhi Police carried out mass detentions during a large-scale demonstration, activists from the All India Students’ Association (AISA) returned to Jantar Mantar on Saturday to continue their protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The fresh mobilization led to immediate action by authorities, with police detaining several activists as they gathered near the protest site amidst heavy security deployment and multi-layered barricading.
The renewed protest call was issued by AISA national president Neha Bora, who was herself among the estimated 1,000 protesters—including political leaders and student activists—detained during Friday’s massive demonstrations. Following her release, Bora urged supporters to return to Jantar Mantar at 1:00 PM on Saturday to sustain their demand for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Student bodies including AISA, SFI, and NSUI have been actively protesting the Election Commission’s handling of the electoral rolls.
The area around Jantar Mantar resembled a fortress on Saturday, with security forces deployed at multiple access points and significant restrictions placed on movement. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra expressed support for the ongoing protest, indicating that 11 metro stations had been shut down to prevent the gathering. Moitra shared a video message asserting, “Gyanesh Kumar will go, and so will his master,” encouraging protesters to assemble despite the restrictions.
The Delhi Police, which has maintained that no permission was granted for Saturday’s protest, has registered at least three FIRs in connection with Friday’s demonstrations. The FIRs detail the organizers of the protests but do not name specific accused individuals. The broader agitation is gaining momentum, with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, announcing plans for a massive “Chalo Delhi” campaign and a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” protest on October 10 if the CEC does not step down. The political ramifications continue to expand, with opposition leaders consistently backing the students’ demands for electoral transparency.
Published by True Roots Media Network