The demonstration at Jantar Mantar was organised by the All India Students’ Association and called for the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said 40 to 50 people were detained because permission to hold the protest at the venue had neither been sought nor granted.
The action took place amid nationwide protests by the Congress and demands from opposition parties for Kumar to step down. The dispute intensified after a report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over 10 months. The report said they alleged that some decisions had been made in the name of the full Commission without their knowledge and described certain actions as unauthorised and illegal.
The Election Commission responded that differing views are part of its decision-making process. The poll panel is also carrying out a nationwide revision of the electoral database. The material available does not independently establish the allegations made in the report or resolve the dispute over the Commission’s procedures.
Separately, Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke threatened to organise a nationwide agitation on October 2 if the demand for Kumar’s removal was not met. He also urged opposition parties to stop contesting elections if they believe the process is being rigged, arguing that participation could lend legitimacy to polls they consider unfair. His call highlights a strategic divide over whether to challenge the process from within electoral politics or through street protests.