Thousands detained as India braces for Delhi protest demanding CJP chief’s resignation
Around 10,000 people, including students and farmers, have been arrested across India ahead of a Delhi rally calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, while police impose travel bans and cancel trains.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reports that at least 10,000 individuals—including students, farmers and Dalit activists—have been detained in various states ahead of a mass protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Police actions cited include stopping travelers at stations such as Bhusawal and Itarsi, assaulting CJP spokesperson Deepak Baliyan, and entering the offices of the Students’ Federation of India.
Delhi police have invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to prohibit gatherings, warned of legal action, and mobilised around 23,000 security personnel, including 7,000 CRPF troops from West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. Indian Railways cancelled all mail and express trains arriving in Delhi between 4 am and 2 pm on the protest day. Demonstrators cite one outlet's investigation that uncovered multiple objections by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to the special intensive revision of voter rolls, demanding Kumar’s resignation. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke vowed to proceed despite the crackdown, challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the situation.
Why it matters
The arrests and police restrictions raise concerns about electoral fairness and freedom of assembly in India.
How this story developed
- Oct 2 Youth party and student groups rally to demand resignation of India's election chief
- Oct 5 Delhi police deployed roughly 5,000 officers and paramilitary units ahead of two anti‑CEC marches.
- Oct 6 Opposition MPs including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were briefly detained during a protest march toward the Election Commission.
- Oct 6 When police barred the INDIA bloc march to the Election Commission, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka redirected the demonstration to the Akashvani Bhavan building.
- Oct 7 Cockroach Janta Party filed a formal notice with Delhi police about an Oct 10 Jantar Mantar protest demanding the CEC’s resignation.
- Oct 7 Police detained Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and other lawmakers during the protest and released them later that evening.
In this story
Related stories
16 in this thread