Hundreds detained by Delhi police from near Jantar Mantar during protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar; security tightened at Mumbai's Shivaji Park | LIVE

Political parties and members of AISA, SFI, NSUI and other student bodies are protesting to demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

Updated - October 02, 2026 02:44 pm IST

AISA's Neha Bora being detained by Delhi police during a protest against Gyansh Kumar near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on October 2, 2026 | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

The Delhi Police detained more than 500 protesters, including AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi and Sanjay Singh, as well as activists of some student outfits, during a protest against the CEC at Jantar Mantar on Friday (October 2, 2026).

Read | What does the law say about CEC’s removal? | Explained

Political parties and members of AISA, SFI, NSUI and other student bodies are protesting to demand Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and mass deletion of voters.

Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke is also scheduled to hold a protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai against Mr. Kumar. CJP has been demanding Mr. Kumar’s resignation, accusing him of acting against democratic principles.

Also Read | First time that so many eligible electors have lost their vote due to SIR: former CEC O.P. Rawat

The Mumbai police, however, have not given permission to the CJP to hold its protest at Shivaji Park.

Follow the LIVE for more updates

Posting a video of herself being released from a police bus by fellow protestors, AISA’s Neha Bora said, “The people are united. Detained protestors are repeatedly being released by the people on the streets.”

Protestors have continued gathering outside Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, even as the police tightened security emergency response and mobile surveillance control vans stationed outside.

WhatsApp Image 2026-10-02 at 14.22.08.jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2026-10-02 at 14.27.40.jpeg

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das spoke to media, as he arrived at Shivaji Park for CJP’s ‘Jail Bharo’ protest

As police in Delhi detains hundreds of protestors, people in Mumbai have started gathering at the Shivaji Park, where the Cockroach Janta Party has called for ‘Jail Bharo’ protest.

WhatsApp Image 2026-10-02 at 13.24.52.jpeg

Currently, protesters are not being allowed to enter the Jantar Mantar site from Ashoka Road either, after the Delhi Police has cut off access from multiple other routes. Protesters are scattered at multiple points, and are refusing to go home. They say that they are walking individually because anyone gathering in a group is being detained.

Meanwhile, AISA in a statement said “Students, civil society members, Delhi citizens have been brutally detained by Delhi Police for demanding the arrest of Gyanesh Kumar and stopping the illegal SIR.”

As protestors attempt to reach Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Mamata-TMC’s Mahua Moitra extended her support to AISA activist Neha Bora.

AISA’s Neha Bora has been detained by Delhi Police. Bora, along with several senior leaders, has been now put into buses. Prior to Bora being detained, there was some back and forth between the protestors and the police personnel.

The women police officers who detained Bora, were seen not wearing their nameplates.

At the protest site, the police is making continuous announcements, asking protestors to comply with prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS.

AISA’s Neha Bora, Yogendra Yadav have reached in the vicinity of Jantar Mantar. Along with their supporters, they are now moving towards Jantar Mantar protest site from Patel Chowk.

Students Federation of India (SFI) activists have been detained on their way to Jantar Mantar. All the roads around Jantar Mantar are barricaded as protesters try to enter the site.

Amit Sharma, a civil engineer, who was trying to enter the site from Mandi House side, says, “My entire family’s name is on the voter list but not mine. And there is a lot of harassment that follows. This is why I’m here today, but we are not able to reach the protest site itself.”

Another protester Anand Prakash says, “All the roads are blocked. So I might have to go back now.”

A group of students from Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) try to figure out a way to get inside. One of them, Mudita, says, “It is being treated like a terrorist site. First, you don’t give us the right to vote. Then, you don’t give us the right to protest against it. If everything is going to be dictated, may as well call it a dictatorship.”

Near the Jantar Mantar protest site, CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby said that instead of detaining and arresting protestors, it is Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar who should be arrested “for the criminal activity of cutting people’s votes.”