Over 700 Detained as Delhi Police Block Jantar Mantar Protest Demanding Election Commission Chief’s Resignation

Delhi Police detained more than 700 people on Friday, 2 October 2026, as student organisations and a youth-led political group tried to assemble at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. Organisers have called another protest at the same place for Saturday, 10 October.

What happened

The protest was called by the Cockroach Janta Party, a political group led largely by young people, together with student organisations including AISA, the SFI and the NSUI. Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party also joined.

Police and paramilitary personnel were posted around Jantar Mantar in large numbers and put demonstrators into buses as they arrived, Al Jazeera reported. According to Outlook, more than 700 people were detained and over 1,000 security personnel were deployed.

The restrictions

• Prohibitory orders: Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which bars gatherings of five or more people, was imposed in the area.
• Metro: At least 11 metro stations around Jantar Mantar were closed.
• Internet: Mobile internet was suspended in parts of central Delhi, according to reports.

Why they are protesting

The demand is the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, in which voter lists are being re-verified across the country. Protesters and opposition parties allege that genuine voters have been wrongly struck off, and use the slogan “vote chori”. The Election Commission has rejected the allegations.

Allegations against the police

Protesters alleged rough handling, and one student said she was dragged by officers. Three women journalists covering the protest complained of harassment and manhandling by police personnel. Delhi Police said the complaints had been passed to the Crime Branch for inquiry.

What happened next

On 6 October, opposition MPs were detained while marching from Parliament to the Election Commission on the same demand. Student and political groups have announced a further gathering at Jantar Mantar on 10 October, The Tribune reported.

This report draws on Al Jazeera, Outlook, The Tribune and ABC News. Numbers are as reported and could not be independently confirmed.

Image: A crowd at an earlier protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, in July 2026 (file photo). Photo by Alnitak-Alnilam-Mintaka, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.