‘A baton can stop a crowd, but it cannot stop questions,’ he added. ‘Gyanesh Kumar will go. And so will the system that put him there.’
The protests in Delhi were organised by Opposition parties, youth organisations and activists against the ECI’s handling of electoral-roll revisions, including the special intensive revision (SIR). Demonstrators have alleged that the revision process could result in the wrongful deletion of eligible voters and have demanded that the electoral rolls be protected from further changes.
Police denied permission for the Delhi demonstration and deployed large numbers of personnel around Jantar Mantar and adjoining areas. More than 1,000 people were reportedly detained as police moved to disperse protesters, with opposition leaders and activists among those taken into custody.
The action followed a series of protests against Kumar and the ECI in different parts of the country. In Mumbai, thousands gathered at Shivaji Park for a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), despite police denying permission. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah was among those present, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena extended support to the agitation.
The CJP has demanded Kumar’s resignation and greater transparency in the appointment of the chief election commissioner. It has also called for the 2025 electoral roll to be frozen, arguing that it should not be “tampered with further”.
‘Young people cannot remain silent when there are questions over the electoral process,’ Gandhi also said in his post, adding that the ECI was responsible for protecting the sanctity of every vote.
The protests come as Opposition parties intensify their campaign against the ECI, with the Congress and other groups accusing the poll panel of failing to provide adequate answers on electoral-roll revisions.
