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Delhi police detain protesters demanding election chief’s resignation

Police in New Delhi detained protesters demanding the resignation of election chief Gyanesh Kumar on 2 October. Demonstrators accuse the election commission of changing voter rolls to favour the governing party; the commission rejects the accusation. Authorities closed 11 metro stations before the protests. Former Delhi chief minister Atishi was among those detained near the Jantar Mantar protest site.

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Young protesters and police facing away near a police bus in New Delhi.

Police remove demonstrators near Jantar Mantar

Police in New Delhi detained protesters on 2 October as they demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, head of the Election Commission of India. People trying to reach Jantar Mantar, the capital’s protest site, were put into buses and taken away.[1], [2]

Former Delhi chief minister Atishi and student members of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party were among those detained. Al Jazeera reported that more than 500 people had been detained during the day; this was not a final official tally. Authorities closed 11 metro stations before the demonstrations and increased security.[1]

Election commission rejects voter-roll allegations

Demonstrators accuse Kumar of changing voter rolls to benefit the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The election commission rejects that allegation. It says entries removed from the rolls involved duplicate registrations, people who had died or people ineligible to vote. The dispute concerns how the commission manages electoral rolls.[1]

Youth movement and students organise protests

The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party movement and student groups helped organise the protests. Movement convener Saurav Das called on Kumar to step down. Police also intervened in demonstrations in Mumbai on 2 October. The main opposition Congress party planned further protests for Tuesday.[1]

References

  1. News sourceAl JazeeraIndian police detain protesters demanding election chief’s resignation↩1↩2↩3↩4
  2. News sourceHindustan TimesDelhi police detain protesters demanding election chief’s resignation↩

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