New Delhi: Protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar were held in Delhi and Mumbai on October 2, with opposition parties, student organisations and civil-society groups protesting over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
In Delhi, activists from the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) participated along with AAP, Congress and Left parties. Police said around 700 protesters were detained from Jantar Mantar and adjoining areas.
In Mumbai, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organised a protest at Shivaji Park despite police denying permission. Reports put the turnout at over 10,000, with the agitation receiving support from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
The protesters demanded Kumar’s resignation, alleging irregularities in electoral-roll revision and voter deletions. The Election Commission has rejected the allegations and maintained that its actions followed due process.