CJP protest against Gyanesh Kumar Highlights: Neha Bora detained during Jantar Mantar protest

Senior Congress MP and former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday told ANI, “If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, the protest will mount, the protest will become greater, and eventually, he has to resign... I don't know who's saving him.”

Delhi Police on Saturday detained several members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) during a protest near Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, as demonstrations over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls continued in the national capital.

Senior Congress MP and former Union minister P Chidambaram said protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would mount if he does not resign, amid the continuing political row over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

AISA President Neha Bora was detained by police during a protest near Jantar Mantar on Saturday, reported ANI.

An FIR has been registered at Shivaji Park PS u/s 189, 223 BNS r/w Sec 37(1)(3)/135 MP Act against CJP’s protest organisers and unknown 400-500 supporters who took part in the Shivaji Park protest.

Abhijeet Dipke wrote on X, “Delhi Police needs to stop acting like henchmen of Amit Shah. By crushing dissent and cracking down on peaceful protesters, Delhi Police is bringing nothing but shame to the institution and the country. Delhi Police should learn from Mumbai Police how to facilitate citizens’ right to peaceful dissent, not suppress it.”

According to DCP New Delhi, Section 163 of BNSS, 2023 is currently in force in New Delhi District.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday questioned the process of excluding voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and asked who would be responsible for the expenditure involved in subsequently re-enrolling those left out of the rolls.

In a post on X, Chidambaram questioned why the Election Commission did not inform the Supreme Court during the hearing of the West Bengal SIR case that voters left out of the electoral rolls could re-enrol by simply filing Form 6.

“If 'left out' voters can re-enrol by simply filing a Form 6, why was this not pointed out to the Supreme Court when it was hearing the West Bengal S.I.R. case?” Chidambaram said.

He alleged that lakhs of voters were excluded from the electoral rolls in West Bengal without due process and noted that the Supreme Court had ordered the constitution of tribunals to hear appeals against the exclusions.

The opposition movement against the Chief Election Commissioner is set to continue, with the INDIA bloc planning a series of protests, including a programme on October 6 and a rally in Delhi on November 1. (ANI)

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), represented by party leaders Aadhav Arjuna and Maria Wilson, will attend the consultative meeting of the INDIA bloc on Saturday.

As part of the meeting, the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, is expected to be among the key demands raised by the opposition alliance.

Top opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc on September 30 gathered at the Constitution Club to discuss alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs), and a demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Supporters of the SFI and BJYM clashed in Birati on the outskirts of Kolkata on Friday evening during a rally seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Police said two persons were detained in connection with the incident.

The CPI(M)-backed SFI alleged that Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) supporters attacked its members and prevented the protest meeting from being held.

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday extended her support to the Cockroach Janta Party's agitation, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Banerjee was speaking to reporters at the Kolkata airport after returning from Delhi, where she attended an INDIA bloc meeting.

"We are fully supporting the Cockroach (Janta) Party and all the young generation and students. And my humble request, please stop these atrocities," she said.

The CJP chose Maharashtra to start its protest against CEC Kumar because the alleged irregularities started from the state, Dipke said, as per PTI.

He claimed that 13 crore voters have been deleted in two years. In 2024, there were 97 crore registered voters and the gap between the victory between the NDA and INDIA grouping was just 2 per cent in the Lok Sabha polls, he said.

Kumar was appointed 15 days before the polls to increase the gap, Dipke alleged.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke's message on X: "If Gyanesh Kumar doesn’t resign, cockroaches from across India will march to Delhi & protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10.

If Delhi Police tries to stop us, wherever they stop us will become our Jantar Mantar..

Ours will be a peaceful andolan. We will walk on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi. It is up to the Govt & the Delhi Police whether they respect our right to peaceful protest or repeat the brutality we witnessed on July 20.

This is a fight to save our democracy. Every citizen who wants free & fair elections must join."

The protesters raised slogans against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, including "Ek kachori, do samosa, Gyanesh tumhara kya bharosa" and "Gali gali mein shor hai, Modi-Gyanesh vote chor hai". They also carried placards bearing Kumar's face with messages, such as "Resign Do".

"Some people have sustained injuries; we are assessing," says DCP New Delhi Sachin Sharma, on being asked about injuries to any police personnel on duty at the Jantar Mantar protest site.

“The protest will resume tomorrowat 1 PM at Jantar Mantar. All comrades are requested to join and stand together for democracy,” AISA chief Neha Bora wrote on X on Friday after thousands were detained during the protest at Jantar Mantar.