Gandhi Jayanti protests: Delhi detentions, Mumbai restrictions over demand for CEC’s resignation

On October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, protests and administrative restrictions unfolded in two cities across the country. In Delhi, police detained protesters who had gathered at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. On the same day, the Cockroach Janata Party held a similar programme at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. At the centre of both protests were questions surrounding the functioning of the Election Commission, the revision of electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

In Delhi, several roads leading towards Jantar Mantar were barricaded from the morning. There was heavy surveillance along Tolstoy Marg, Janpath Road and Sansad Marg. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita was imposed across the New Delhi district, restricting gatherings of five or more people without permission. The restrictions also affected Delhi Metro services. Services were suspended or regulated at at least 12 stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Janpath, Patel Chowk and Mandi House.

Despite the restrictions, protesters gathered in small groups at different locations. Chanting slogans, they attempted to move towards Jantar Mantar. Police detained them, put them on buses and took them to different police stations. Those detained included former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, social activist Yogendra Yadav, AISA president Neha Bora, Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj and RJD MP Manoj Jha. Around 50 to 60 protesters also staged a sit-in for some time in the Janpath area.

Tensions rose further when Neha Bora was detained. According to a report by The Quint, protesters stopped the police bus and pulled her out. The protest had been called by a section of student leaders, activists and lawyers, including Neha Bora, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Manoj Jha. They alleged that certain decisions taken during the revision of electoral rolls could raise concerns about citizens’ right to vote.

The protests are rooted in the long-running controversy surrounding the SIR. Opposition parties and several civil society groups have alleged that the electoral-roll revision could lead to eligible voters being excluded. The Election Commission, however, has said that the purpose of the SIR is to remove the names of deceased, shifted, duplicate and otherwise ineligible voters and make the electoral rolls more accurate. The Commission has also rejected allegations of political bias.

The controversy intensified after reports emerged of differences within the Election Commission. An investigative report published by The Indian Express on September 23 claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over around 10 months on various decisions related to electoral rolls, voter registration and the Commission’s digital systems. The report led to renewed questions about the Election Commission’s internal functioning.

The Election Commission, however, offered a different interpretation. It said that differences of opinion within a three-member commission are not unusual and that internal deliberations should not be portrayed as evidence of a breakdown within the institution. On the SIR as well, the Commission has maintained that the objective is to clean up and make the electoral rolls more accurate.

Mumbai also saw a protest call on October 2 by the CJP. Its leader, Abhijeet Dipke, called for a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ at Shivaji Park. Mumbai Police, however, did not grant permission for the programme. The police cited concerns over noise pollution, traffic congestion and access to nearby hospitals. The organisation nevertheless said it would go ahead with the programme.

The CJP’s demands include the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the process of deleting voters under the SIR, restoration of the January 2025 electoral rolls and conducting elections on their basis, as well as greater transparency in the appointment of Election Commission members. The organisation has also called for changes to the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners.

The protests have brought broader questions into focus: How should electoral rolls be prepared and revised? How transparent should the Election Commission’s decision-making process be? And what safeguards are necessary to protect citizens’ right to vote?

The focus will now remain on how far these protests develop and what response comes from the Election Commission and the central government.