NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday announced a protest in Delhi calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In a post on X, the party said its supporters would gather at India Gate at 5 pm before marching to Jantar Mantar.“Koi kitna bhi zor laga le.. Gyanesh ka Resignation to lekar rahenge. Chaliye, Sham ko milte hain. 4th October. 5 PM onwards. India Gate to Jantar Mantar,” the post read.Earlier on Saturday, nearly 200 protesters were detained in connection with demonstrations at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, officials said. Delhi Police also registered cases over Friday’s protest under provisions related to disobedience of orders and obstruction and assault of public servants.On Saturday, protesters marched from Patel Chowk towards Jantar Mantar, where police and paramilitary personnel had erected barricades and deployed additional forces to prevent them from reaching the designated protest area.Police invoked Sections 223(a), 221, 132 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with Friday’s protests. The provisions relate to disobedience of a lawful order issued by a public servant, obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions, assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from performing his duty, and acts carried out by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, respectively.The All India Students’ Association (AISA) had called for fresh mobilisation on Saturday, a day after nearly 1,000 people were detained during protests in and around Jantar Mantar. Many of those detained on Friday were later released.AAP’s student wing, the Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), also staged a protest on Saturday. The organisation alleged that some of its volunteers were detained and taken to different parts of Delhi in a bus for several hours before being brought to Jafarpur police station.AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the continued detention of the student volunteers. Delhi Police did not immediately respond to the allegations.The latest action came a day after Delhi Police registered at least three FIRs in connection with Friday’s protests. Two FIRs were registered at Parliament Street police station and one at Connaught Place police station under Section 223 of the BNS for alleged disobedience of an order issued by a public servant.Ahead of Friday’s protest, police had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) across the New Delhi district. The order prohibits gatherings of five or more people, processions, demonstrations, picketing, dharnas and slogan shouting without prior written permission.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
Around 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel, including more than 10 companies of paramilitary forces, were deployed across central Delhi on Friday. Barricades were erected at several locations, while drones were used to monitor crowded areas.Officials said police had received inputs that around 4,000 to 5,000 people could gather for the protest.The protests have also taken place amid a political debate over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The Election Commission has maintained that differences of opinion within the poll panel are part of institutional deliberations and that its orders follow established statutory procedures.
